MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 3: A driver was killed and his helper injured in the southern Poonch district of Azad Kashmir on Sunday in Indian firing from across the Line of Control (LoC), police said.

The vehicle, bearing registration number AJKC-319, was going to Dharamsal from Battal village in Hajira sector when it was hit by machinegun fire, a police official told Dawn.

As a result, driver Abid, son of Latif, was killed and his helper Zulfiqar was critically wounded. Both were residents of Natar village in Hajira sector.

He said firing began at 11am without any provocation and continued in intervals for about three hours during which Indian troops used both small and heavy weapons.

AJK officials say that the Line of Control remains tense despite recent peace overtures between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Five people were killed on Sunday last in Indian shelling, four of them in Hajira sector, whereas the total casualties since January are more than 65 people dead and over 170 wounded.