Heavy shelling along LoC, one dead in Mendhar

Our Correspondent

Rajouri, July 20

Amid heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Saturday, a man died of heart attack as mortar shells landed near his house, while in another village the deputy sarpanch received splinter injuries and was rushed to the district hospital at Poonch.

The firing and shelling came close to the day-long visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistan army targeted forward locations/posts of the Indian Army and many stray mortar shells landed in the villages situated between LoC and the fence.

“Around 9 am, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation with firing of small arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in the Mendhar sector. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly,” said Lt Col Davender Anand, PRO Defence.

Dr Parvaiz Khan, Block Medical Officer, Mendhar, said Manzoor Hussain (60) of Dheri Dabsi village died due to heart attack when a few shells landed near his house.

Deputy sarpanch of the Kisti Balnoi panchayat Zaffar-Ullah-Khan received splinter injuries in the right hand and was taken to the Poonch district hospital, he added.