Indian forces kill Pakistani teacher, injure 5 people along LoC: army

Pakistan army said Thursday that a school teacher has been killed while three children and two women injured in "unprovoked firing" by Indian forces.

The casualties occurred during the overnight cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region, a military statement said.

Escalation has been seen at the LoC since the suspected militants attacked a military base in the Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

"1 x Civilian, Abdul Rehman, age 28 years, resident of village Palani embraced Shahadat (Martyrdom) due to Indian unprovoked firing," a military statement said early Thursday.

Five people including a one-and-half year old girl, a teenager boy, a 11 year boy and two ladies of age 40 & 50 years in village Palani in Karela sector," the statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said.

"Pakistani troops befittingly responded to the Indian firing," the statement further said.

The recent tension along the LoC area is the outcome of an attack on a base camp of Indian army in Uri sector of the Indian-controlled Kashmir on Sept. 18, which left 19 Indian soldiers dead.

New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based militant group "Jaish-e-Mohammad" and suspected Islamabad's role in the attack, but Islamabad rejected the accusation.

Pakistan and India declared ceasefire along the LoC in 2003. However, border troops occasionally trade fire for which both sides accuse each other. Endit