5 civilians killed in Pak fire in Balakote sector of J&K, appropriate action will be taken, says Jitendra Singh

 Union Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Sunday assured that appropriate action will be taken in regard to the death of five civilians in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

"The defence ministry and home ministry will take cognizance of such things. Our security forces are also retaliating, we should be rest assured that appropriate action will be taken," Singh told reporters here. Earlier in the day, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, killing five civilians including three children and injuring two. 

Five members of a family were today killed and two others injured in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, a senior police officer said. Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Bimber Gali started around 0745 hours. They are specifically targeting civilian areas," he said. Director General of Police S P Vaid in a tweet said, "Due to shelling from across (LoC) in Balakote sector of Poonch, 5 civilians of a family died & 2 are injured who are being shifted to hospital".

The civilian casualties occurred in forward village of Devta Dhar when a shell hit the house of Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, a police official said. The dead include the house owner, a woman, a boy and a minor girl, he said. The police official said heavy shelling was going on from both the sides. Army troops retaliated strongly and effectively to silence Pakistani guns, he said.