The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, June 3, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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Pak shelling continues, woman killed
Tribune News Service

Gopal Sharma wails as he sees the burning pyre of his younger sister, Sash, who was killed in a mortar explosion, during her cremation at Garkhaal, some 30 km from Jammu, on Sunday.

Jammu, June 2
A woman was killed and eight other civilians were wounded when Pakistani troops resorted to heavy mortar shelling from across Kanachak in Akhnoor sector today.

According to the police, several Pakistani shells exploded in Garkhal village of the Kanachak area and damaged at least four houses resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to eight other civilians. Five injured persons were shifted to the Jammu Medical College.

For yet another day the Pakistani forces resorted to firing and shelling from across Poonch, Nowshehra, Bhimber Gali, Kargil and Dras. However, there was no casualty “on our side” in these areas, according to the police.

A villager at the border village of Garkhaal on Sunday runs for cover after hearing sounds of explosions believe to be incoming mortar shells. — Reuters photos

Defence Ministry sources said the Indian troops foiled Pakistani attempt to blow up Dras-Kargil highway. The Pakistani troops had been targeting the highway since Friday but the Indian forces retaliated with “effective mortar and artillery” fire in which several enemy bunkers were destroyed across Dras and Kargil.

The Indian forces also retaliated with long range guns and mortar guns in Poonch, Nowshehra and Akhnoor sectors killing at least 10 Pakistani soldiers. At least 15 Pakistani bunkers and vital military installations were damaged across Kanachak, Bhimber Gali, Poonch, Nowshehra, Kargil and Dras.

The Defence Ministry sources said the Indian forces were fully equipped and prepared to meet any challenge from Pakistan while he was referring to the deployment of more Pakistani troops along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir during the past three days.

The sources said since the Pakistani side suffered heavy losses during the past 15 days of the Indian retaliatory action Islamabad had pulled out troops from the Afghan sector and deployed these along the LoC across Jammu and Kashmir.