india

Updated: Oct 23, 2019 04:50 IST

An army officer was killed in a gunfight with terrorists who had sneaked into Indian territory after taking cover of firing from the Pakistani side in Rajouri, and two civilians were injured in cross-border shelling on villages along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.

Giving details of the Rajouri incident, a senior Army officer told PTI that a patrol team saw “suspicious movement” near the forward area along LoC in the Kalal belt of Nowshera sector and engaged with the terrorists.

In the ensuing gunfight, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the army was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries, he said, adding that Pakistani troops also fired at the Indian side in the sector.

The gunfight continued till reports last came in from the area, the officer said.

“Today, a JCO was killed in Nowshera sector,” a defence spokesman said in a brief statement following the fresh ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in Rajouri district.

Earlier in the day, two civilians, including a woman, were injured in heavy Pakistan shelling along the LoC in Poonch district, officials said. Mortar shelling from across the border started around 1.20 pm, prompting strong retaliation from Indian Army, the officials said.

People in the shelling-hit villages rushed to the safety of their homes and underground bunkers, while the children in some schools falling within the range were escorted to safety by Army and police personnel, the officials said.

The latest cross-border firing came two days after the Indian Army, in a major counter-offensive in retaliation to Pakistan’s unprovoked action, carried out heavy artillery strikes targeting four terror launch pads and several Pakistani military positions in Neelam Valley in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Separately, at least three militants were killed on Tuesday in Pulwama district during a gunfight with the security forces, police said. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition was also recovered.

Officials said that the army, police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a joint operation in the area after receiving specific information about the presence of militants in Rajpora area of the district.

In the ensuing encounter, the three militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site. The identity and affiliation of the slain militants were yet to be ascertained, a police statement said.

“Three terrorists were killed, arms and ammunition recovered. Identities and affiliations being ascertained,” the police said in a tweet.

(With inputs from Agencies)