Ceasefire violation along Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu LoC: Army

Jammu, May 4: Pakistan Army Sunday targetted Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Nowshera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor areas across the Line of Control (LoC) by resorting to “unprovoked small arms fire” which was proportionately responded to, by the Indian Army.

The areas across the LoC in Akhnoor sector in Jammu district recorded ceasefire violation for the sixth consecutive day. However, Poonch and Nowshera in twin border districts witnessed exchange of fire between two sides after a lull for 24 hours. In the Sunderbani sector, Pakistan Army posts had initiated unprovoked small-arms fire across the Line of Control during the night of April 30 and May 1, 2025 also. Since April 25, ceasefire violation has been reported in Mendhar sector for the first time. “During the night of May 3 and 4, 2025, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked small arms fire across the LoC in areas opposite Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Nowshera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor in J&K. Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately,” PRO Defence, Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said.

On Friday night, Pakistan Army had resorted to unprovoked firing in Poonch, Nowshera and Akhnoor sectors and it was responded to, in a befitting manner, by the Indian Army. Prior to it, exchange of fire between two sides in Akhnoor had taken place during the nights on May 1, April 30 and April 29 also. On the night of April 30 and May 1, 2025, Pakistan Army had targeted across the Line of Control opposite the Nowshera, Sunderbani sectors also and across the International Border in the Pargwal sector of Jammu region.

Similar exchanges of fire between two sides took place during the intervening night of April 27 and 28, along LoC across areas opposite Poonch district. Meanwhile, the border villagers in Arnia and R S Pura areas of Jammu district have rued lack of arrangements for cattle, in case of exigency. They have also lamented that medical facilities for border residents in these areas, which remain vulnerable in terms of cross border firing and shelling, too, are not up to the mark.

“There are bunkers in these areas but in case of widespread skirmishes, they are not adequate. Similarly, there are no arrangements in bunkers for the live-stock. Villagers lose their cattle during cross border firing. The administration should put arrangements for cattle in place also, in case of exigency,” Harbans Lal and Anil Chowdhary, while speaking to the media persons, stated.

They stated that the hospitals in the border areas, particularly in the border villages which are situated on and along the zero line, both on the International Border and the LoC should be well-equipped to cater to needs during emergency situations. “There should be ambulances in adequate numbers to deal with an emergency situation so that there is no panic when the need arises. Arnia and R S Pura hospitals are not well equipped to cater to casualties in case of emergency. Even in ordinary situations, generally the patients are referred to Jammu hospitals. We want these hospitals to be upgraded and well-equipped with adequate numbers of specialist doctors and medical facilities,” they demanded.

Besides lack of adequate medical facilities, other major areas of concern for the border residents pertain to the education of their children and bunker facilities for the cattle. “We were asked to harvest crops as early as possible. That has almost been done. But what are the provisions for the education of our children in case of an emergency? We don’t see any arrangements for our cattle also. These remain areas of concern for us besides quality medical facilities. No advisory has, so far, been issued for border residents on these accounts. These issues should be sorted out well in advance to avoid panic or chaos,” they asserted.