M A I N   N E W S

Pak troops step up shelling

SRINAGAR, Aug 15 (PTI) — Pakistani troops resorted to shelling on Indian positions in Jammu and Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara as the state celebrated Independence Day amidst unprecedented security and a bandh called by the Hurriyat Conference.

The security forces averted a major tragedy by detecting and neutralising a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) containing 30 kg of RDX near Surankote village in Poonch district.

Villagers informed the Rashtriya Rifles troops yesterday about an IED planted on the Jammu Shid-Marhot road. Immediately, a bomb disposal team was rushed to the site which detected and neutralised the device.

On inspection, it was found that the device, kept in a tin container and remote-controlled, possessed 30 kg of RDX. It had a small electronic device attached to it.

Pakistani troops today stepped up firing and shelling on forward Indian positions in several sectors along with the Line of Control (LoC).

Heavy mortar shelling was reported in Naushera sector of Rajouri district. Nine shells hit fields near the Kalal Dera post in the sector, the sources said, adding no damage was caused.

The Pakistani troops also fired 10 rockets on Indian positions in Karnah sector of Kupwara district in the Kashmir valley around 0800 hours. However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported.

Intermittent heavy exchange of fire between two sides was on in Uri sector of Baramula and Saujian and Balakote sectors of Poonch district since last night, the sources said.

Streets in Srinagar looked almost deserted as the strike call given by the Hurriyat kept most people, except security personnel, indoors.

Militants hurled a grenade towards a security vehicle at the Pulwama main chowk in south Kashmir last evening. The grenade, however, missed the target and exploded on the roadside, injuring 28. The injured were hospitalised. Six of them were in critical condition.

A Lashker-e-Toiba militant was killed and a woman injured as ultras exchanged fire with the police and launched grenades at two Army camps in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

The militant, Mohammad Ashraf alias “Ashiq”, was killed by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at Bemina locality in central Srinagar late last night, a police spokesman said.

Affiliated with the Lashker-e-Toiba, the militant was involved in the killing of five persons, the spokesman said, adding he was earlier associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen but later joined the Lashker group.

A 22-year-old girl identified as Tasleema was wounded when militants fired two rockets on an Army camp at Cherkote in Lolab area of Kupwara early today, defence sources said.

Militants also fired several grenades towards another Army camp at Panzipora in Baramula district today. None was hurt.