MUZAFFARABAD: Four female members of a family were injured when Indian troops shelled a village in Kotli district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir from across the Line of Control on Sunday, officials said.

The Inter-Services Public Relations also confirmed the incident in a brief statement. “India’s unprovoked firing on (a) house in Khuiratta along the LoC left two girls and two women injured,” the ISPR said, adding that the victims were evacuated by soldiers to a hospital.

The incident took place at about 10.50am in Janjot Bahadar village, according to an officer at the Khuiratta police station.

“They (Indian troops) fired mortar shells, one of which landed in the courtyard of a house, leaving two women and two girls wounded,” the officer told Dawn by telephone.

He identified them as Kausar, 65, wife of Mohammad Karim; Ayesha, 15, daughter of Mehboob; Yasmeen Begum, 40, wife of Javed; and Samra, 10, daughter of Asad. They were given treatment at an army-run health facility and stated to be out of danger.

The ISPR said Pakistani troops responded to India’s firing.

One Nazarat Bibi, 64, was injured in Indian shelling on Balakot village of the Nakyal sector in the small hours of Saturday. She was performing ablution in the courtyard of her house.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2017