Pakistan reportedly fired mortar shells and small arms across the Line of Control (LoC) at more than 50 places in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday in a sharp escalation of ceasefire violations that have been underway for the last three consecutive days, Indian media reported. According to NDTV, the Indian army was retaliating strongly.
This comes hours after the Indian Air Force bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot, across the LoC, killing a "very large number of terrorists" according to the government officials.
The Pakistan Army used heavy weaponry, firing 120mm mortars targeting some 55 civilian hamlets and forward posts in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts since 5:30pm local time, an army officer told news agency PTI.
There was no injury or loss of life in the ceasefire violations, the officer said, adding that Indian troops gave a "befitting reply" to the firing.
Pakistan had shelled forward posts in the state's Poonch, Mendhar and Nowshera sectors earlier in the day too, prompting a response from the Indian forces. No one was hurt on the Indian side.
The Pakistan army has resorted to firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch districts on seven of the last eight days.
Amid rising tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack and increasing ceasefire violations, the people along the LoC and the international border in this region are living under constant fear, they said.
