M A I N   N E W S

Heavy firing along LoC
9 Pak soldiers killed, 12 bunkers destroyed

Jammu, March 22
Nine Pakistani soldiers were killed and 12 of their bunkers destroyed in heavy artillery firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rumblidhara and Kalaal areas in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district today. Eight jawans and an Army officer also sustained serious injury defence sources told UNI here this afternoon that Pakistani troops from 10 Corps opened unprovoked artillery fire on forward Indian positions at 10 a.m. in the Kalaal area this morning, targeting forward bunkers and communication towers and continued to rain fire for the next 45 minutes to which the Indian troops retaliated.

The sources said in retaliation, Indian soldiers opened fire from heavy artillery guns targeting Pakistani bunkers and ammunition depots and the firing continued for the next one hour.

Four Pakistani Regulars were killed and six of their bunkers destroyed when troops scored direct hits on their bunkers, the sources said.

Incensed at heavy Indian retaliation, Pakistani troops unleashed fire from 135 mm artillery guns in a bid to pin down Indian soldiers but troops effectively returned the fire.

In a tactical move, the Pakistani forces opened another front at Rumlidhara and began attacking Indian watch towers and isolated bunkers.

Indian soldiers manning the frontier positions reported that commandos of the Special Services Bureau (SSB) of the Pakistan Army actively assisted the regulars in shifting gun positions to enhance the efficacy of their firepower.

But alert Indian soldiers replied with heavy firing and their precision firing resulted in the death of five more regulars and the destruction of six more of their bunkers, the sources said.

They also pointed out that the possibility of more casualties in the Pakistani camp could not be ruled out in view of the extensive damage caused to their forward bunkers.

Meanwhile, reports also said eight Indian Army jawans had sustained serious shrapnel wounds in the Pak firing, which also caused splinter injuries to an Army officer. UNI

52 injured in two blasts
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 22
Over 52 persons, most of them civilians, were injured in two grenade explosions in Pulwama and Anantnag districts of South Kashmir today.

Elsewhere, at least five militants were killed in separate encounters with the security forces in the valley since yesterday.

The police said 25 civilians were injured when the militants lobbed a grenade in the market of the main chowk at Shopian in Pulwama district at 10.30 am. Two of the injured who have been admitted to SMHS Hospital here, are critical.

In another explosion, 16 civilians and a CRPF jawan were injured when the militants lobbed a grenade at a bus stand in Anantnag at 3.40 pm.