Two soldiers killed in Pakistani shelling in Kashmir

Jammu, July 18 (SURYAA): Two Indian soldiers were killed on Tuesday as the Pakistan Army resorted to heavy shelling and firing along several areas of the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, leading authorities to shut down schools and ask civilians to move to safer places in Rajouri district.

After pounding Indian positions with heavy shelling and firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, the Pakistani Army on Tuesday resorted to shelling in Rajouri district's Nowshera sector and Naugam sector of Kupwara district.

Defence ministry spokesman, Colonel Rajesh Kalia said Rifleman Vimal Sinjali of Gurkha Rifles was killed in sniper fire from across the LoC in Naugam sector.

Another soldier, identified as Sepoy Jaspreet Singh, was killed in Pakistani shelling in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.

Defence ministry sources said the Pakistani Army used small arms, automatics and mortars to target Indian positions in Bhawani Jhanger area of Nowshera.

Though the civil administration had closed 16 schools indefinitely in areas close to the LoC in Rajouri district, mobile bullet-proof bunker vehicles were rushed to rescue children trapped in schools in Nowshera sector.

Around 150 students and teachers were evacuated from two schools -- from Kadali primary school and Sair middle school in Nowshera.

The district administration in Rajouri has also ordered migration of the civilian population to safer places.

The intensified shelling came after a soldier and a child were killed on Monday in Pakistani shelling on the LoC in Rajouri. 

Heavy firing exchanges between Indian and Pakistan army continued in Nowshera sector during the day, but guns fell silent after darkness.

Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan resorted to indiscriminate shelling and firing on the LoC in two sectors of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked firing in Bhimber Gali and Poonch sectors along the LoC, Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said.

The firing started at 6.45 a.m., using small arms, automatics and mortars, to which the Indian Army retaliated "strongly and effectively".

Separately, the army killed two militants in Bandipora district.