India issues demarche to Pakistan on ceasefire violation: MEA sources

India has issued a strong demarche to Pakistan on the killing of three innocent Indian civilians in the unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces on April 12, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said. Three persons including a minor were killed and five others injured in intense shelling across the Line of Control in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday, the army said.

Pakistan's provocative posture along the LoC has remained unabated despite the novel Coronavirus pandemic that has infected thousands of people in both countries and forced respective governments to impose lockdowns to contain the outbreak.

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SSP Kupwara, Shari Ram Ambarkar, said three civilians, including a woman and a child, were killed when shells fired from the Pakistani army hit homes at two locations along the Line of Control in the Kupwara area of Kashmir Sunday evening. A defence spokesperson said that in response to Pakistan's unprovoked shelling, Indian Army units "retaliated strongly and effectively".

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Infiltration bid in the garb of ceasefire violation

On Friday, Pakistani forces violated ceasefire in the Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir. It was reported that heavy artillery firing took place and the Indian side is retaliated strongly. That was the fifth consecutive day of unprovoked shelling and firing along the LoC. Sources say the Pakistan Army is trying to push terrorists into J&K to foment trouble in a region already facing the COVID-19 challenge.

(PTI Photo)

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