Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today strongly condemned the killing of three civilians in shelling by Pakistani troops along the border, and appealed for maintaining peace on the frontiers.
"The Chief Minister strongly condemned the killing of three innocent civilians and injuries to many others in the persistent shelling from across the border in R S Pura and Arnia sectors in Jammu district," a spokesman said.
He conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families in their hour of grief and prayed for peace to the departed souls. He issued directions for providing best possible medical treatment to injured persons who have been admitted to hospitals, the spokesman said.
Sayeed expressed solidarity with the people living in the affected areas and said there was an immediate need for exploring ways to help people affected by the shelling.
"We have to immediately explore ways and means to bring an end to the sufferings of the hapless civilians who have been subjected to great hardships over the last few months by the continuous shelling on the IB and the LoC," he said.
Making a fervent appeal for maintaining peace on the borders, Sayeed said "constant shelling from across the IB and the LoC has seen a humanitarian crisis unfolding with people leaving their homes and scurrying for safety of their lives".
Three persons were killed and 17 injured when Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire twice and heavily shelled civilian areas and border posts in R S Pura and Arnia sectors.
A BSF spokesman said "initially small arms were used but later on mortars bombs were shelled on BSF posts and civilian areas".
