India alleges Pakistani troops attacked its 50 border posts overnight

SRINAGAR: Calling it the most serious cease-fire violation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in a decade, India Wednesday accused Pakistani troops of shooting and firing mortars shells on at least 50 border posts on Line of Control (LoC) in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).

The attacks began Tuesday night in southern Kashmir after India’s home minister visited the region to review security, Border Security Force spokesman Vinod Yadav alleged.

Indian troops returned fire, but one guard was killed and six were injured when a shell fired from the Pakistani side landed at the Arnia post located in occupied Kashmir, he added.

At least 100 civilians were being moved from homes in the villages of Arnia and Ramgarh near the frontier, local Indian police officer Rajesh Kumar said.

While nearly 200 smaller violations of the 2003 cease-fire agreement have been reported this year, Yadav called the latest skirmishes the most serious in a decade. In most cases, India or Pakistan accuses the other of initiating the fighting.

Both sides, however, have acknowledged an increase in the number of cross-border attacks since the Pakistani and Indian prime ministers met for their first face-to-face meeting last month in New York and agreed on the need to reduce tensions.

It must be mentioned that, over the last week, “unprovoked firing” by Indian forces has killed a Pakistani soldier and a civilian. According to military sources ten other civilians were also wounded as a result of these violations.

Most recently, Indian forces shelled Dhamala village near Sialkot on Tuesday. Pakistani soldiers returned fire, and no casualties were reported.

On Monday, the top elected official on the Indian side, Omar Abdullah, said New Delhi should “look at other options” if Pakistan continues to violate the cease-fire.

He did not elaborate, but local politicians who want to separate from India’s administration said Abdullah’s comment’s amounted to “war mongering” against Pakistan.

India’s Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was in the Jammu region of Indian Held Kashmir on Tuesday to meet with troops and security officials after reported skirmishes last week. (AP)