The cross border shelling lasted 45 minutes, the Army said (Representational)
A 65-year-old woman was killed and three others were injured today as Pakistan violated ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in different sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
While the elderly woman was killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan in Poonch district of the Jammu region, two civilians were injured in Tangdhar sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district, they said.
A police official identified the woman as Resham Bi.
She was staying at her relative's house in Balakote sector's Lanjot village. She died after a mortar shell exploded in the compound of the house, he said.
Another woman, who was identified as Hakam Bi, was critically injured in the incident and was taken to the hospital, he added.
A defence spokesperson said Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars in Balakote and Mendhar sectors of Poonch around 2 am.
The Indian Army retaliated befittingly and the cross-border shelling between the two sides lasted 45 minutes, the spokesperson said, adding that casualties suffered by Pakistan in the retaliatory action were not known immediately.
In another incident, two civilians were injured when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Kupwara district.
"Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Tangdhar sector in Kupwara district on July 8, 2020 in the afternoon hours by firing mortars and other weapons," an Army official said.
Two civilians were injured in the firing and shelling by Pakistani troops, he said.
Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, Rahul Yadav visited Mendhar sector gave Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the family of the woman, an official spokesperson said.
He said Mr Yadav also provided an amount of Rs 10,000 from the fund in favour of the injured woman.
Mr Yadav was accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Ramesh Angral and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mendhar, Sahil Jandial, the spokesperson said.