Pak troops fire on 6 border outposts

JAMMU, Sept 4 (PTI) — After a day’s lull, Pakistani troops resumed firing along the international border in Jammu region, targeting six Indian border outposts in Samba and R S Pura Sector last night, a BSF spokesman said here today.

He said Pakistani border guards, using light and medium machine guns, opened intermittent fire on Londi, Suchetgarh and Bobiya outposts in Samba Sector from 1900 hours yesterday to 0500 hours today.

Later, Sangral, Alfa Machal and Mangral BoPs in RS Pura Sector came under fire. No loss of life or property was reported from the Indian side.

Exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops was also reported in Rajouri and Poonch Sectors of the region last night, defence sources said.

They described the firings as a "routine affair".

A civilian was injured in an encounter between militants and the Army at Channaballa village of Loren area in Poonch district yesterday.

The civilian, identified as Saif-ud-Din, was later shifted to a nearby medical centre and was stated to be progressing after being operated upon.

The 434-km long Srinagar-Leh National Highway was closed to traffic today following intense artillery shelling by Pakistani troops which damaged a ration depot and some barracks in Kargil Sector of Ladakh region.

However, there was no report of casualty.

Pakistani troops resumed firing and artillery shelling on Indian positions in and around Kargil town since early today.

An 8-km stretch of the highway at Kaksar, 220 km, from here, was the worst affected, forcing the authorities to suspend traffic.

Barracks near a General Roads Engineering Force (GREF) camp at Harka Bahadur bridge on the highway were damaged in the shelling. A ration store at Khurbatang village near Kargil was also damaged.

The Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of fire was on when reports last came in.

Minor skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops were also reported from Karnah Sector of Kupwara district in North Kashmir yesterday.

7 dropsy patients out of danger

JAMMU, Sept 4 (UNI) — The seven dropsy affected patients, who were admitted in Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, after developing symptoms of the disease, were stated to be out of danger, according to Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Medical Education Mustafa Kamal.

The minister, who reached here in the wake of the reported dropsy cases yesterday, took stock of the treatment being given to the affected patients.

Dr Kamal asked the people not to get panicky about the use of edible oils and observe maximum precautions while selecting these for domestic use.

The minister said the situation was not alarming but more precautions needed to be taken by the people.

The government had taken strict steps to curb adulteration effectively throughout the state. All incoming consignments of edible oil to the state would be strictly checked at Lakhanpur checkpost, he said.

According to reports from Kathua, as many as 32 mustard oil samples had so far been lifted from various parts of the district as part of the drive launched to check the sale of adulterated and contaminated oil in the state.

Eight samples each had been lifted from Hiranagar and Basohli, five from Parole, four from Billawar and three from Kathua by the health authorities. Besides four samples had been lifted by the notified area committee from mustard oil trucks entering the state at Lakhanpur.