Indian fire kills Kashmiri woman
A woman was killed and four other people were wounded on Sunday in shelling by Indian troops across the line of control that divides Kashmir, police on the Pakistani side said.
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| Indian troops in Kashmir: Unstated battle |
The 30-year-old woman was killed and her daughter wounded at a border village in the Leepa valley, about 100 km south of Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, Police Superintendent Mohammad Sarwar said.
Three men were wounded in two other villages in the valley, he said, bringing the number of people hurt by Indian shelling on the Pakistani side of the line of control since Saturday to 11.
Sarwar said Indian troops began firing mortars, artillery and machine guns early on Sunday and continued for three hours. He said the shelling was unprovoked and Pakistani troops retaliated.
India accuses the Pakistani army of initiating such exchanges to provide cover for Muslim fighters crossing into Indian administered Kashmir. Pakistan denies this, saying it provides only moral and diplomatic support to fighters.
Poppy plants destroyed
Indian troops, meanwhile, are engaged in a massive drive to destroy poppies in Kashmir confronting angry residents desperate for cash.
Customs officials from India’s federal finance ministry launched the campaign with security forces 10 days ago in the south of the violence-torn state.
“This year so far we have destroyed opium poppy crops spread over 224.73 hectares (556 acres) in 27 villages of Anantnag and Pulwama districts,” said V Prabhakar, a senior customs officer.
Poppy is generally grown to make “kulcha”, a staple kashmiri bread always in demand. Bakers buy the seeds at two dollars a kilogram.
But, in a more lucrative byproduct, poppy sap can be processed into opium. Last year, the Indian army seized 350 kg of narcotics in the Kashmir valley.