Two more soldiers die in Pak LoC fire

Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Rajouri, July 18

Two soldiers were killed in the Pakistan army fire even as 217 students were evacuated from schools following heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in border districts of Jammu and Kashmir today. The security forces, meanwhile, thwarted an infiltration bid by gunning down two militants in Bandipore’s Gurez.

A soldier was killed in Pakistan sniper fire in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district, 120 km northwest of Srinagar, this afternoon. “The soldier was critically wounded  and succumbed to injuries later,” a source said. His identity could not be established.

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One more soldier, Jaspreet Singh of Moga district in Punjab, was killed, while another got injured in heavy shelling by the Pakistan army in the Rajouri sector.

A “war-like situation” prevailed along the LoC as the Pakistan army resorted to heavy shelling in the Bhimber Gali and Poonch sectors and Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.

An Army spokesperson claimed the Pakistan army was using small arms, automatic weapons and 120 mm mortars to target civilian areas. At least 217 students were trapped in the “danger zone” along the LoC in the Nowshera sector when Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in the area this afternoon. The district administration later evacuated them along with 15 teachers to safer places.

At least 55 students belonging to Government Middle School, Sehar, had a miraculous escape when shells landed on a school building while they were being rescued. Around 150 students and staff of Government High School, Bhawani, were shifted to migrant camps, while the rest were handed over to parents.

“Heavy mortar shelling in Nowshera, students trapped in two schools, Kadali and Sehar. Rescue operation launched,” Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, tweeted earlier in the day.

Around 10,000 people in Nowshera and Rajouri sectors were still trapped inside their homes as the administration was unable to evacuate them.

In north Kashmir’s Gurez, the Army foiled an infiltration bid by killing two unidentified militants in a gunfight. A group of militants was intercepted by soldiers near Kanzalwan, close to the Line of Control in Gurez sector, 180 km from Srinagar. “On being challenged, the militants opened fire, triggering a gunfight. Two militants have been killed. A combing operation is on,” a defence source said, adding three weapons were recovered from the scene. Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said two militants had been killed and the operation was under way.