It was a night of horror in Arnia village of RS Pura sector in Jammu district, situated 5km from the international border, when Pakistani troops resorted to high calibre mortar shelling on the civilian areas, leaving five dead and 34 injured.
Pakistani Rangers resorted to firing and shelling of mortars on 10 border outposts and civilian areas along the border in Arnia belt from 10pm on Sunday night.
Villagers stands near a blood stained spot after mortar shell firing from the Pakistan side into a residential area at Masha da kothe village, in Arnia Sector.(Nitin Kanotra/HT Photo)
Damaged cycle lying on a ground after mortar shell firing from the Pakistan side into a residential area at Masha da kothe village, in Arnia Secto.(Nitin Kanotra /HT Photo)
A villager showing a photograph of a family who were killed in alleged Pakistani firing at Masha da kothe village, in Arnia Sector. (Nitin Kanotra/HT Photo)
Villagers show mortar shell marks on a wall after indiscriminate firing by Pakistan Rangers at a residential area. (PTI Photo)
Villagers mourn the death of their relative whom locals say was killed by firing from the Pakistan side of the border at Arnia village.(Mukesh Gupta/Reuters Photo)
An injured villager lies on the bed of the Medical College Hospital after indiscriminate firing by Pakistan Rangers injured him in Jammu on Monday. (PTI Photo)
Villagers stand near the body of a calf that locals say was killed by firing from the Pakistan side of the border at Arnia village. (Mukesh Gupta/Reuters Photo)
A villager enters a door of his residence near mortar shell marks allegedly fired from the Pakistan’s side at Masha da kothe village, in Arnia Sector. (Channi Anand/AP Photo)
A girl walks past a stain which locals said was the blood of an Indian villager killed by firing from the Pakistan side of the border at Arnia village, near Jammu. (Mukesh Gupta/Reuters Photo)
A woman mourns the death of her relative whom locals say was killed by firing from the Pakistan side of the border at Arnia village. (Mukesh Gupta/Reuters Photo)
Nine civilians were killed and at least 25 wounded, the heaviest toll since India called off a round of peace talks in September.
The wounded were shifted to a district hospital at Jammu while relatives said they had become easy targets for Pakistani mortars.
“When firing started we thought it would be another routine thing. But, when heavy mortar shells started pounding our homes and heard cries, it was our worst nightmare,” said Soma Devi, a relative of the family that lost four members to the firing.