Three jawans killed, five injured in Pakistan shelling

SRINAGAR: Three soldiers were killed and five others injured in Pakistani firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. Pakistani troops fired from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on army positions and civilian areas at Naugam sector in Kupwara district in the morning, defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

Six soldiers manning their posts sustained injuries of which two succumbed to their injuries. The four injured soldiers were evacuated to military hospital in Srinagar, the defence spokesperson said. Colonel Kalia said the army gave befitting response to the ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops.

Earlier, Pakistani troops had breached border ceasefire Krishna Ghati Sector of Poonch in Wednesday night and targeted army positions and posts. Two soldiers had sustained injuries in the crossborder firing of which one died.

The intensity of ceasefire violations have increased after the Centre scrapping Article 370  in August last year. According to defence officials, there have been about 3,200 border ceasefire violations so far in which 13 army men have lost lives.