Pakistan's Army pounded Indian civilian areas along the LoC, killing five members of a family and injuring two others on Sunday morning. India has retaliated "strongly to silence Pakistani guns."
Defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said Pakistan continued unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from 7.45 am to 11.30 am in Balakote sector.
One of the mortar bombs hit a house, killing a couple and their three minor sons at Devta Sargloon village in Jammu's Poonch district. Two of their daughters received grievous injuries and were airlifted to a government hospital in Jammu.
Those killed were Mohommad Ramzan (35), his wife Malika Bi (32) and their three sons: Abdul Rehman (14), Mohammad Rizwan (12) and Razaq Ramzan (7). Their two injured daughters were identified as Nasreen Kouser (11) and Mahreen Kouser (5).
Local residents said the family had gathered in their kitchen for breakfast when a shell hit their home.
"Pakistan continues its cowardly design of targeting innocent civilians, their homes and livestock in villages close to the LoC.
The deliberate provocation has resulted in the loss of five precious and innocent civilian lives", Anand said. "Army troops retaliated strongly, effectively and proportionately to silence Pakistani guns," he said.
A serious issue of concern is that Pakistan is targeting innocent civilians in localities much deep inside Indian territory, almost three to four kms from the LoC, where there is neither Army deployment nor any installation or even equipment installed, he said.
Fear has gripped border villagers, prompting authorities to put healthcare and other vital departments on high alert.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was anguished to hear of the people losing their lives. "My deepest condolences to the family", she said.
About two dozen people have been killed in Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir since January 17. About 90 people have suffered injuries and 50,000 fled homes in Jammu division alone in January.
Tension has been running high since an attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists on an Indian Army camp in Jammu last month in which six soldiers were killed. India had warned it would make Pakistan pay for the "misadventure".
Last month, more than 1,000 villagers were evacuated to safer places in the northern Uri sector amid a heavy exchange of fire.
Authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir said at least six civilians, including five women, were wounded in the Indian firing and shelling on Sunday.
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