Pakistan Army shells areas along LoC in Rajouri district

JAMMU: The Pakistan Army opened heavy fire and shelled mortars at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday, prompting Indian troops to retaliate, officials said.

"At about 1645 hours today, the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Nowshera sector in district Rajouri," a defence spokesman said.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, he said.

On Friday, JCO Naib Subedar Ravinder died after being injured in shelling by Pakistan in Nowshera sector, spokesman said.

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 5,100 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in 2020, official sources said.

This was the highest in the 18 years with an average of 14 cases daily.

Thirty-six people were killed in these violations and over 130 injured.

Security officials said that shelling and firing by Pakistani troops was "very heavy" in 2020, virtually making the 2003 India-Pakistan border truce "redundant".

A senior police officer said that Pakistani troops repeatedly targeted forwards posts and villages along the LoC and the International Border (IB) to create a fear psychosis among people and destabilise peace along the borderline.