Pakistan targets schools near LoC in Jammu, students escape death
Over 100 children braved a rain of shells inside two government schools in the afternoon when Pakistan started unprovoked firing from across the LoC.
In Short
- Pakistan violated ceasefire in two districts of Jammu
- Indian Army is retaliating strongly to Pak's firing
- Civilians near LoC have been asked to stay indoors
At a number of government schools near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu's Nowshera sector, children braved bullets and shells to escape death after Pakistan Army violated a ceasefire and started indiscriminate firing in civilian areas.
The firing started in the afternoon and it was only in the evening hours that Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police SP Vaid announced that all children who were trapped in schools of Rajouri district have been rescued.
Over 100 children braved a rain of shells inside two government schools in the afternoon when Pakistan started unprovoked shelling. All students and staff were rescued safely by the security forces and police. As a precautionary measure they were told not to move out of the building till Pakistan stops shelling.
Bullet-proof vehicles were rushed to the spot to shift these school children to safer places as soon as possible.
Indian Army is retaliating strongly to Pakistan's firing from across the LoC.
J&K: A car hit by mortar in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Balakot. pic.twitter.com/GQHQ3cU9Ey
; ANI (@ANI_news) July 18, 2017
During the day, Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire by shelling mortars and firing in Rajouri and Poonch districts along LoC. In north Kashmir's Kupwara district, an Army jawan was killed by firing from across the LoC.
An alert has been sounded for civilians near the LoC with instructions to stay indoors. A population of 4,500-5,000 in the villages of Panjgrain, Rajdhani and Naika in the Rajouri-Poonch belt was affected due to the shelling by Pakistani troops.
"The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and mortars from 0645 hours in the Bhimbher Gali (Rajouri) and Poonch sectors along the Line of Control," a Defence spokesperson said.
#WATCH: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in J&K's Manjakote earlier today, gunshots heard. pic.twitter.com/vXNLEBw5Ce; ANI (@ANI_news) July 18, 2017
Today was the second consecutive day when Pakistan targeted civilian areas with indiscriminate firing. Yesterday, an Indian army soldier and an 8-year-old girl were killed in Poonch. Immediately after the attack, India warned Pakistan that that it reserves the right to retaliate to any provocation across the LoC.
(Inputs from Ashwini Kumar)
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Pakistan targets schools in unprovoked firing in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector