Srinagar/Jammu: Three civilians were killed in overnight heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan military across the Line of Control and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said on Wednesday.The Indian Army is responding to the shelling in equal measure, they said on the ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces after India carried missile strikes against nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.During the intervening night of May 6 and 7, the Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the LoC and IB opposite Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said. Three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing and shelling by Pakistan, they said.Among the deceased was a woman whose house was hit by a mortar shell in Mankote area of Poonch district, officials said.
Her 13-year-old daughter was injured. They said nine more civilians were also injured in different sectors of Poonch due to intense shelling by Pakistan, and their condition was stated to be stable.Authorities have ordered that all educational institutions in the five border districts of the Jammu region will remain closed on Wednesday. “In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed today,” Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said on X.Besides Mankote, heavy shelling from across the border was reported in Krishna Ghati and Shahpur sectors in Poonch, Laam, Manjakote and Gambeer Brahmana in Rajouri district in Jammu region and Karnah and Uri sectors in north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Baramulla districts.Indian security forces guarding the border also retaliated and the cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on when the last reports were received, officials said, adding the Pakistani shelling forced the people to take refuge in underground bunkers.