Houses damaged, animals killed as Pak shells villages along LoC in Rajouri, Poonch

Several houses were damaged and animal killed as Pakistan resorted to intense firing and mortar shelling along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts on Wednesday, triggering panic and fear among residents,  officials said. Pakistan targeted over half-a-dozen villages along the LoC in Nowshera and Balakote sectors, they said.

In the morning hours of Wednesday, the Pakistan Army targeted civilian areas in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district with heavy mortars and guided missiles, they said. In the heavy shelling, six civilians houses were damaged, they said, adding several animals have been killed too. People living in border hamlets took shelters in some underground bunkers to save their lives as their villages were pounded with mortar bombs, they said. The villagers demanded more bunkers for the population, they said.

In the evening again, around 08:45 pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars in Balakote sector, Poonch, they said.  The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, they said. Heavy exchanges of fire is going on when the reports last came in, they said.