MUZAFFARABAD: A woman was killed and three other civilians were wounded in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian army from across the restive Line of Control (LoC) over the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.

Shelling by Indian troops began in Samahni sector of Bhimber district and Neza Pir sector of Haveli district early on Tuesday morning “without any provocation”, officials based in the two areas told Dawn, adding that in Neza Pir sector it continued till late evening.

Noor Jehan, 40, lost her life in Kairni village of Neza Pir sector late on Tuesday, said a district administration official from Forward Kahuta, district headquarters of Haveli.

Muhammad Din, 70, and Rashida Begum, 55, were injured in the same village, he added.

Earlier in the day, Zahir Shah, 38, was injured in Bandala Seri village of Samahni sector, according to an official of Samahni police station.

The heavily militarised LoC has been frequently experiencing ceasefire violations by Indian army in serious breach of the November 2003 agreement.

Resultantly, civilian casualties are frequently occurring.

According to officials, the latest casualties have pushed the death toll in AJK in the ongoing year to 41 while the number of injured has been more than 190.

Nearly two months after the Indian government changed the status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, tensions between Pakistan and India are still running high. On Aug 5, New Delhi stripped the disputed region of its autonomy and divided it into two centrally governed union territories.

India’s Hindu nationalist government deployed thousands of additional troops to the Himalayan region and imposed a security crackdown and communications blockade there.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2019