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Three killed in Pak firing
Tribune News Service & Agencies

Fifteen-year-old Avneet Kumar, injured in the cross-border shelling in Poonch, is consoled by his mother at a hospital in Jammu on Saturday. Relatives mourn the death of Janko Devi at a refugee camp in Jammu on Saturday. — Reuters photos

Jammu, June 8
Three civilians were killed and as many sustained shrapnel injuries when Pakistani forces opened heavy and unprovoked mortar fire on the Pittal border out post and adjoining villages in the R.S. Pora sector and at Balnoi area in Poonch sector this morning, even as at least three Pakistani soldiers were killed in Indian retaliatory firing.

Defence sources said here that Pakistani troops opened sudden and heavy fire from 82 mm mortar guns on the Pittal outpost and adjoining villages at 6.30 a.m. today and continued to rain  mortar shells in quick succession for about 25 minutes. In retaliation, Indian soldiers opened fire from similar calibre guns.

According to the police, Janki Devi was killed in Pindi village of the R.S. Pora sector when a Pakistani mortar shell exploded on the premises of her house. Three others sustained minor injuries. A Defence Ministry official said the Pakistani troops resorted to artillery and mortar shelling from across the Siachen mountain glacier in eastern Kashmir, Kargil and Dras.

The Pakistani soldiers also used mortar guns and small arms while trying to pound villages and border posts in Ramgarh, Samba, Nowshera and Akhnoor sectors.

In the Indian retaliatory firing and shelling, at least three Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others wounded. Several Pakistani army vehicles and bunkers were also damaged.

Two civilians, Qasim Din and Sakina Bi, were killed when Pakistani troops opened fire on Balnoi area of Poonch sector late last night.

Meanwhile, panicked residents scurried for cover in Arnia town of the R.S. Pora sector when the Pakistan army fired mortars on the town this afternoon.

The pounding by Pakistani troops triggered fresh migration from Arnia and its suburbs, with about 2,000 persons fleeing the area within three hours of the mortar firing.

Ultras kill 4 VDC members
Tribune News Service and Agencies

Jammu, June 8
Three Army men were killed in an encounter with militants near the LoC at Sultanpur Pathri in Loran area of Mandi sector in Poonch district today.

An Army jawan displays 107 mm rocket recovered from militants' hideout in the Lolab area of Kupwara district on Saturday. — Photo Amin War

According to the police, the security forces during the search operations were ambushed by a group of militants, who opened indiscriminate firing, killing three Army men on the spot.

The security forces retaliated but the militants escaped to the nearby forest belt. The three Army men killed were identified as Subash Chander, Parveen Kumar and Ram Kumar of the Rashtriya Rifles.

Four village defence committee (VDC) members were killed when ultras attacked Thilloo village in the Mahore tehsil of Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir late last night, the police said today.

It said the ultras descended from the nearby mountains and tried to enter the village where the VDC members challenged them. In the ensuing gunbattle, the VDC members were killed, the police added.

The deceased have been identified as Nazir Mohammad, Abdul Wahid, Shakeel Mohammad and Mohammad Shafi.

SRINAGAR: The security forces unearthed three hide-outs and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition in the Lolab area of Kupwara district in North Kashmir on Friday.

“The explosives were intended to be used to disrupt communication lines of the security forces and to cause casualties among them”, a defence spokesman here said.

The recoveries included 15 kg of RDX, 10 kg of plastic explosives, 10 AK rifles, one RPG launcher, 15 AK magazines with 985 rounds, 20 UBGL grenades, 20 detonators, two anti-tank mines, two 107 mm rockets and eight RPG rounds.