Pakistan troops violated ceasefire for the fourth consecutive day today by resorting to heavy shelling along the International border (IB) and LoC in three sectors of Jammu and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, an Army jawan, injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan last night, succumbed to injuries today, raising the death toll in the border firing in Jammu and Kashmir since Thursday to 11, police said. "Pakistan rangers resumed (shelling) along IB in Kanachak sector of Jammu tonight. They have been mortar shelling and it is being replied back," a BSF spokesman said. Pakistan has resumed heavy shelling along LoC in Bhawani, Karali, Said, Numb and Sher Makri areas of Rajouri district this evening, DC, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said. In Akhnoor, Pakistani forces resorted to firing along the Line of Control (LoC), police officials said.
Troops are carrying out retaliation, they said. Sepoy C K Roy, who was posted in a forward post in Mankote sector of Poonch district, was injured in Pakistani firing yesterday and succumbed to injuries at a military hospital last night, a police official said. His death raised the number of persons killed in Pakistani firing along the LoC and international border in the five districts of Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Poonch and Rajouri since Thursday to 11. The dead include six civilians, three Armymen and two BSF personnel. While a BSF jawan and a teenaged girl were killed on Thursday, four persons two civilians and one BSF jawan and an Army jawan were killed and over 40 others, including two BSF personnel, injured in the Pakistani firing on Friday. Three civilians and an Army jawan were killed and 16 others injured in the ceasefire violations yesterday. There was no report of firing by Pakistan along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts since last night, BSF and police officials said. "International Border was almost calm barring a few rounds of shelling in Arnia sector last night," a BSF spokesman said. He said firing from across the border stopped in Samba and Kathua districts in the afternoon but was intermittently on in some areas of Jammu district. The last few mortar shells landed in Arnia sector around 10 pm yesterday without causing any damage. There was no report of Pakistani firing from anywhere during the night, he said. A police official said barring Shahpur sector, the LoC in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri also remained almost calm as there was no major ceasefire violation by Pakistan from last evening till this evening. Small arms firing from across the border were reported from Shahpur sector of Poonch for a few hours till 4 am, but there was no casualty, he said. He said the authorities were keeping a close eye on the situation and rushed police teams to affected areas to ensure prompt assistance to the people. The people were asked to stay indoors and not to touch any suspicious object in their area as it could an unexploded mortar shell, he said. Firing from across the border started on Thursday and has forced thousands of people to flee their homes and take shelter in rehabilitation camps or with their relatives.
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