Woman, Army jawan killed in ceasefire violation by Pak army

LoC schools closed after Pak shelling reopen

13/08/2017

JAMMU, Aug 12: A 40-year-old woman and an army jawan were killed in firing by the Pakistani army at border villages and Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district today, officials said.
"The Pakistani army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and mortars from 0515 hours in Poonch sector along the LoC," a defence spokesman said.
Indian Army personnel guarding the border posts retaliated strongly and effectively.
The exchange of fire stopped at 0645 hours, he said.
Around 0520 hours, mortar shells fired from across the border exploded near the house of Mohd. Shabir at Gohlad Kalran village, killing his wife Raqia Bi, a police officer said.
On August 8, the Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling in the Krishnagati sector of Poonch district, killing Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra (21).
Till August 1 this year, there have been 285 instances of ceasefire violation by the Pakistani forces. In 2016, the number was significantly less at 228.
An army jawan was killed as Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir this evening, a defence spokesman said.
He said the Pakistan army initiated the unprovoked firing on the Indian Army posts at around 5 PM today.
"The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, he said.
In the exchange of fire, Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar (42), resident of Madhya Pradesh, was grievously injured and later succumbed to injuries, the spokesman said.
Tomar, who hailed from Tarsana village in Morena district in MP, is survived by his wife Omavati Devi, a son and a daughter, the spokesman said.
"He was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he added.
However, 658 schools along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector reopened today after remaining closed for a week following cross-border shelling by Pakistan.
Authorities had closed 67l schools in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on August 5 for safety and security of students in view of heavy and indiscriminate shelling.
Thirteen schools in vulnerable areas would remain closed till further orders, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner (Rajouri) Shahid Iqbal Choudhary had ordered reopening of the schools in the sector from today on the recommendation of the chief education officer, they said.
The 13 educational institutions which remained close were located in Sehar, Karahli, Numb, Makri, Niki, Sariya, Jhangar, Mohinder Mohalla, Bakshi Mohalla, Pull, Dhanaka and Dandesar, the officials said quoting an order issued by Choudhary yesterday.
These include two higher secondary schools.
The officials said while most students returned to the schools this morning, the authorities were monitoring the situation and once it improved, the 13 closed schools would also start functioning normally.
Thousands of border villagers are staying in six government camps at Nowshera after the Pakistani firing forced them to flee their homes last month.
Over 200 students had to be evacuated in bulletproof vehicles in Nowshera sector by rescue teams after they got trapped in their schools in the sector last month during the shelling.

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