With the government coming under attack from the opposition parties over its handling of the string of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, which continued tonight, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "everything will be fine soon" on the border.
The death toll in the firing after escalation of ceasefire violations by Pakistan for over a week rose to eight with the killing of a woman identified as Shukuntla Devi and her daughter-in-law Poli Devi. Fifteen more people have been injured in the firing taking to 75 the number of injured so far, officials said.
The Pakistani rangers overnight targeted 50 Border Out Posts (BoPs) and 35 border hamlets with mortar bombs and heavy firing that led to migration of 17,000 people from border hamlets to safe places and relief camps.
There were three fresh violations of ceasefire in the night when Pakistani forces resorted to mortar shelling and firing in the sub sectors of Kanachak and Pargwal in Jammu district and Hiranagar in Kathua district along the IB.
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Pakistani Rangers targeted Chillary village along IB in Samba district and resorted to heavy shelling around 0730 hours today leading to the killing of two women, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Samba, Anil Mangotra told PTI. One of them died on the spot and another succumbed to injuries at GMC hospital.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed the state administration to take all requisite measures for ensuring safety of life of the people in areas hit by border shelling.
The sources also said India will not give in to "coercive diplomacy" by Pakistan and will respond strongly to Pakistani shelling.
The sources cited media reports in Pakistan to say that 35 people have been killed in the last two days on that side -- 20 yesterday and 15 the previous day.
The sources, however, noted that there was no independent confirmation of this casualty figures.