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MUZAFFARABAD, July 30: At least three persons were killed and six injured in unprovoked Indian shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) since Monday night.
A man was killed and his son injured in the southernmost Bhimbher district of Azad Kashmir in the Indian shelling which began in th area on Tuesday afternoon, Deputy Inspector General of Police Shaikh Tahir Qayyum said.
He said Allah Ditta alias Kala died and his 8-year-old son, Mohammad Iqbal, was wounded in Dhal Khamba village in Samahni sector.
The DIG said shelling had also begun in Chakothi sector, 60 kilometres south of Muzaffarabad, at 7pm on Tuesday, but there were no immediate reports on any losses.
Similarly, police said, shelling also took place in the upper belt of Neelum valley on Tuesday. “But no casualty occurred there today,” the official said.
WOMAN, GIRL KILLED: Overnight Monday, a woman and a young girl were killed and five others, including a woman, injured in Indian shelling from across the LoC, police said on Tuesday.
The casualties occurred in the upper belt of Neelum valley, in northeast of Muzaffarabad, after the shelling began in the area without any provocation on Monday evening, the DIG told Dawn.
He said the Indian troops, using small and big arms, targeted the civilian population, causing casualties after a considerable lull along the LoC.
Guddo Begum, wife of Bagga, was killed and Saad Bibi, Tota and Raja Afzal were injured in Kharigam village, he said.
A 13-year old girl, Nazia, daughter of Abdul Aziz, was killed and Mohammad Shafi and Abdul Aziz were injured in another nearby village, he added.
The injured were admitted to a military hospital in Kel.
The LoC had seen heavy artillery duels since mid-December last, during which more than 100 people were killed and over 500 injured. However, the LoC was generally calm since June 29, when eight people were injured in Katha Kalsan village of Neelum valley.
On July 22, a youth was killed and his brother wounded in the southern Poonch district by sniper shots.
Meanwhile, the authorities have again closed the Neelum valley road for vehicular traffic following Monday’s shelling.
The road was opened only recently in mid-July when tensions, according to officials, appeared to be easing along the LoC.
