MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 27: Indian troops heavily shelled Azad Kashmir villages from across the tense Line of Control on Wednesday, killing at least four people and injuring 14 others, officials said.

Most of the casualties occurred in one village in Hajira sector of the southern Poonch district, where the “enemy shelling was worst,” officials said.

“Indian forces started shelling at 3.30pm, using machine guns, mortars and artillery,” Poonch Deputy Commissioner Liaquat Hussain told Dawn by telephone. “They targeted civilian populations without any provocation both in Hajira and its neighbouring Abbaspur sector,” he added.

The DC, quoting initial reports from the affected areas, said three people had died and 10 others, including one woman, were critically injured and removed to different hospitals.

All the three deaths occurred in Mandhol village, and the deceased were identified as Mohammad Zubair, son of Mohammad Azim; Ejaz, son of Wali Dad; and Aftab, son of Akbar. A later report said Khurshid of Nadinaar was also killed in the Indian shelling.

Among the injured were Mohammad Siddique, Mohammad Shabbir, Sain Khalil, Mohammad Irshad, Iftikhar, Liaquat, and Said Mohammad alias Mithu (Mandhol village), Yasif (Sawa Tai village), Sajida (Kakuta village) and Jamal Deen (Sopnag village).