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Indian shelling kills two women in Neelam valley

ROSHAN MUGHAL

MUZAFFARABAD: Two women were killed and seven other persons wounded by Indian artillery shelling in Neelum valley on Saturday, police said.

Indian army started shelling the civilian population in Ashkot, Barian and Lasva villages of the Jura sector of the Neelum valley at 10.00 am. Two women identified as Zabeda Bibi, wife of Ali Mohammed, and Shah Bibi, wife of Faqar Din, were killed by Indian artillery shells in Ashkot village of the Jura sector.

Seven other civilians identified as Gul Jan, wife of Ghulam Mustafa; Muneer Ahmed, son of Bashir Ahmed; Abid Ali, son of Mohammed Tahseen; Nazeer Ahmed, son of Matiullah; Maqbool, son of Mohammed Hussian, and Shrafat, son of Hakim Din, residents of Shahkot, Nagdar, Bandi and sianmari were wounded seriously by splinters of Indian artillery shells in Barian Bazar.

Several houses and shops were also partly damaged in Indian artillery pounding.

Mian Akhlaq Ahmed, a resident of the Neelum valley when contacted by telephone said that Indian army has started shelling on the civilian population on Saturday morning.

He said the shelling was continuing and fierce and the situation is very crucial as residents of the valley were trapped in their houses following several feet snowfall in the valley.