M A I N   N E W S

1 killed, 5 hurt in firing along LoC
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 31 — One civilian was killed and and five others, including a Lt Colonel, were injured in unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops in several sectors along the Jammu border during the past 24 hours.

Official sources said the Lt Colonel was wounded while supervising retaliatory fire were in the Nowshehra sector this morning. One civilian, Kumar was killed on the spot in the same sector when Pakistani troops fired several hundred rounds on Indian border villages.

Sources said that four civilians, including two women were wounded in the Khour border belt in the Akhnoor sector when Pakistani soldiers resorted to mortar shelling. Firing was reported from Poonch, Rajouri, Akhnoor and R.S. Pora sectors during the past 24 hours.

Sources said at least six Pak bunkers were destroyed in the Indian retaliatory fire.

Defence Ministry sources said that Pakistani troops were firing and shelling presumably to help out militants who had been brought up to the LoC across Poonch and Rajouri sectors to infiltrate. Indian troops foiled the plan.

Sources said once again Pakistan had tried to violate the sanctity of the LoC despite US President Bill Clinton warning.