BSF said it gave a "befitting reply" to firing by Pakistan Rangers at posts in Kanachak, Pargwal, RS Pura and Arnia sectors last night. 8-9 persons have reportedly been injured in the firing.



Five civilians were killed and nearly 30 were injured in the Jammu and Poonch areas in heavy firing and shelling by the Pakistani Rangers that began on Sunday night.



Defence Minister Arun Jaitley who was discharged from hospital on Monday after a long illness had warned, "Let everybody be assured that our armed forces and paramilitary forces are fully ready and they are responding to each of these provocations from Pakistan."

"I've never seen such massive firing. Bombs were falling on houses," Vijay Kumar, an injured villager, told NDTV.

Pakistani forces had also shelled at least 10 Indian Army posts along the Line of Control on Sunday night, according to Army officials in Kashmir. Gunfire continued between the two sides in those areas on Monday, they said.

Lieutenant-Colonel Brijesh Panday said the Army also shot dead three Pakistani-based militants trying to cross into India. Two militants escaped back to Pakistan, he said.

Sources told NDTV that the Border Security Force and the Army which guard the Line of Control had retaliated with heavy fire. Pakistan claims four of its civilians were killed on Sunday night in firing from India.



In a deviation from tradition, Indian and Pakistani troops manning the border in Wagah did not exchange sweets on the festival of Eid on Monday.

The civilian deaths on Monday mark the heaviest toll since India called off a round of talks with Pakistan last month after its officials insisted on consulting Kashmiri separatists ahead of the proposed summit in Islamabad.