Pakistan army violates ceasefire in Uri

A day after Pakistan Army choppers came within 300 meters of Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector, Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian forward positions and civilian areas  in the Uri Sector of North Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday. 

The incident occurred at 8 am on Thursday when Pakistan army fired indiscriminately on Indian positions at Chrunda  in Uri. 

"Unprovoked Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Uri sector since 8 am", said Colonel Rajesh Kalia, defence spokesman at Srinagar. 

Indian army immediately swung into action and retaliated strongly to silence Pakistani guns. "Own troops are retaliating", said Colonel Kalia. 

The fresh ceasefire violation comes two days after a Border Security Force (BSF) constable was killed when Pakistan army snipers fired at him on the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. 

Constable Sunil Kumar Murmu of 124th battalion was manning the high altitude Forward Defence Location (FDL) when  Pakistani snipers fired at him on Tuesday. 

The cross border firing  also came 24 hours after Pakistani army's  rotary wing helicopters came within 300 meters of the Line of Control (LoC) but did not violate the Indian airspace and returned to their side in Poonch sector of Jammu division. 

Under the agreed norms between the two sides, a rotary wing aircraft should not venture within one kilometre of LoC, while a fixed wing aircraft should remain 10 km away from the LoC. “Though the choppers did not violate the airspace on Wednesday, it was a breach of agreed norms,” said an officer.

More than 21 people have been killed in Pakistani shelling near LoC and the international border across Jammu and Kashmir since January 17. Over 75 people have suffered injuries and more than 50,000 people have fled their homes in the Jammu division alone