5 of family killed in Pak shelling in J-K's Poonch

Jammu: Pakistani troops targeted border villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district with mortar bombs on Sunday, killing five members of a family including three minor brothers, officials said.

The "unprovoked and indiscriminate" shelling of civilian areas almost three-four kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC) by the Pakistani troops, in violation of a ceasefire agreement, lasted nearly four hours Sunday morning, they said.

Two sisters were critically injured in the shelling and were airlifted to Jammu for treatment.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed anguish over the loss of lives and stressed the need for peace if we want to save the people of the state.

Army PRO Lt. Col. Devender Anand said the mortar shelling from across the LoC was "unprovoked and indiscriminate" and lasted from 0745 hours to 1130 hours. Indian troops guarding the border retaliated forcefully and efficiently, he added.

Director General of Police S P Vaid in a tweet said, "Due to shelling from across (LoC) in Balakote sector of Poonch, five civilians of a family died & 2 are injured who are being shifted to hospital."

The civilian casualties occurred in the forward village of Devta Sargloon when a shell hit the mud house of Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan (35), a police official said. The deceased were Ramzan, his wife Malika bi (32), their sons Abdul Rehman (14), Mohammad Rizwan (12) and Razaq Ramzan (seven).

Ramzan's two daughters – Nasreen Kouser (11) and Mahreen Kouser (five) – were critically injured in the incident and were airlifted to Jammu for specialised treatment, the police official said.

The Army PRO said Sunday's ceasefire violation by Pakistan was a serious issue of concern as civilian localities much deep inside Indian territory, almost three-four kilometres from the LoC, were targeted despite the fact that there was no Army deployment or any installation or even no equipment installed.