India to reject talks with Pakistan over ceasefire violations

One woman was killed and 20 other were injured including 3 BSF personnel in fresh firing.

Reportedly, Indian forces have been asked to retaliate heavily to firing from Pakistan and reject talks until all firing stops along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Military officials of India and Pakistan discussed on the hotline the cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir but there were no signs of a solution.

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire several times during the day and it continued on Tuesday night, security and civil officials said.

Officials of the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries talked over the hotline for five minutes during which both the sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire, Army sources said in Delhi.

Tuesday's incidents came a day after five villagers were killed and 34 injured in one of the worst ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Pakistan's night-long mortar-bomb attacks and rattle of heavy guns has sent thousands of residents in border villages scurrying for cover with fear writ large on their face. They fled their mud-houses on buses, tractor-trollies and bullock-carts to safer places in Jammu leaving behind deserted hamlets.

The three service chiefs met Defence Minister Arun Jaitley in Delhi and are understood to have discussed the prevailing security situation on the border.

Pakistani and Indian troops along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir exchanged heavy fire tonight in which a Junior Commissioned Officer(JCO) and two other armymen were injured.

According to a senior Army official tonight, shelling carried out by Pakistan along the LoC in the Sabjian area of Poonch district left one JCO and two armymen injured. The injured have been hospitalised, the official added.

Fresh firing from the Pakistani side was also reported in Kathua district along the International Border apart besides in Jammu and Rajouri districts, police and BSF sources said.

BSF and Army troops are retaliating to the firing, the sources said.

"There was fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistan at Banwat and Hamirpur along LoC in Poonch. The firing started at 1620 hours with Small Arms and Mortars", Defence Spokesman Lt Col Maneesh Mehta said earlier in the day.

"Own forces responded effectively and appropriately. No casualty till last report came in", he added.

In another ceasefire violation earlier, Defence Spokesman Lt Col Maneesh Mehta said Pakistani troops opened fire with small arms in Balnoie forward belt along LoC in Poonch district around 1420 hours.

The Army retaliated effectively and the exchange of fire is going on in the area, he said, adding there was no loss of life or injury to anyone on the Army side.

In a ceasefire violation in the morning, Pakistan Rangers resorted to firing and mortar shelling in Arnia town, a police officer said.

A shell also exploded near the compound wall of a police station in Arnia, leaving six persons injured, he said.

"Pakistani Rangers had fired mortars and opened heavy fire on BSF posts along the International Border since 2100 hours last night", BSF Spokesman Vinood Yadav said.

"As many as 40 BSF BoPs were affected by the fire from Pakistan side", Mr Yadav said, adding that firing and shelling was targeted on areas along IB in Arnia, R S Pura, Kanachak and Pargwal sub-sectors along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts.

There has been heavy firing and mortar shelling on 20 to 25 border hamlets along the International Border in Arnia, R S Pura, Pargwal, Ganjansoo and Kanachak belts of Jammu district since last night, District Magistrate, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu told PTI.

Three persons have been injured in the firing in Jammu border areas and have been hospitalised, officials said.

In view of the firing, over 1,000 people were also shifted to camps overnight.

Meanwhile, in a stern warning to Pakistan, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked it to put an end to firing and ceasefire violations along the border in Jammu & Kashmir saying if such breach continues, the Aarmy and every youth of this country will give a befitting reply.

Addressing an election rally in Latur, 460 km from Mumbai, Singh also accused the previous UPA government of adopting a soft approach towards Pakistan as he raked up the issue of tension along the international border and line of control.

He said Pakistan's violation of ceasefire became habitual because of the Congress regime.

"But now it has been conveyed in no uncertain terms to Pakistan that ground realties in India have changed.

"Pakistan should think twice before indulging in any ceasefire violation as the government is being headed by Narendra Modi in India," he told the rally.

If the violations continue, the Army and every youth of this country are ready to give a befitting reply to Pakistan and the same has been conveyed in no uncertain terms, he said.

As many as five people were killed in Arnia village of Jammu region due to shelling from Pakistan on Monday.