Indian shelling injures 11 civilians, including 4 kids, at a wedding in AJK village

Published November 22, 2020
One of the mortar shells fired by Indian forces from across the LoC landed in a house where a wedding function was underway. — AFP/File
One of the mortar shells fired by Indian forces from across the LoC landed in a house where a wedding function was underway. — AFP/File

At least 11 people, including four children, were injured in Azad Jammu and Kashmir's Kotli district on Sunday after a mortar shell, fired by Indian forces from across the Line of Control (LoC), hit a house where a wedding function was underway.

Indian forces had resorted to "unprovoked" shelling, which continued for over an hour, at around 10am in the Seri sector, Khuiratta subdivision Assistant Commissioner Syed Naseem Abbas said.

Initial reports had suggested that one of the victims, a seven-year-old girl named Hoorain, had been martyred. It later emerged, however, that she was unconscious due to traumatic brain injury. The child is in critical condition and will undergo surgery at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi tomorrow. Three other children, aged five, nine and 10 years, also among the injured.

Another victim, 50-year-old Zoobena Ajaib, who suffered several fractures, was also being shifted to CMH, Rawalpindi owing to her serious condition.

Other victims include Hoorain's mother Sajida Kausar, 35, Suman, 20, Muhammad Hanif, 60, Sarwar Jan, 55, Arooj Zaroob, 22 and 50-yearl-old Khurshid Begum.

Due to a government-imposed lockdown, the wedding was being held at home, AC Abbas said. He further said that two victims had been discharged from a local health facility after treatment, while the remaining injured were taken to District Headquarters Hospital, Kotli.

Medical Superintendent Dr Nasrullah Sadiq said that seven victims had been admitted at the DHQ Hospital and were out of danger.

Earlier, rumours that Hoorain had passed away had circulated on social media and even AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider had said that she had been martyred.

Opinion

Editorial

Back in parliament
Updated 27 Jul, 2024

Back in parliament

It is ECP's responsibility to set right all the wrongs it committed in the Feb 8 general elections.
Brutal crime
27 Jul, 2024

Brutal crime

No effort has been made to even sensitise police to the gravity of crime involving sexual assaults, let alone train them to properly probe such cases.
Upholding rights
27 Jul, 2024

Upholding rights

Sanctity of rights bodies, such as the HRCP, should be inviolable in a civilised environment.
Judicial constraints
Updated 26 Jul, 2024

Judicial constraints

The fact that it is being prescribed by the legislature will be questioned, given the political context.
Macabre spectacle
26 Jul, 2024

Macabre spectacle

Israel knows that regardless of the party that wins the presidency, America’s ‘ironclad’ support for its genocidal endeavours will continue.