Kashmir border calm but villagers stay away

Jammu, Jan 4 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir border was quiet Sunday, a day after Pakistani shelling killed two Indian soldiers and a civilian and forced hundreds to flee their homes along the frontier.

Although no firing or shelling was reported Sunday, frightened villagers chose to stay away in makeshift camps in Samba and Kathua districts where they have been sheltered, an official said.

"Since yesterday evening there has been no ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops on the international border in the two districts," a senior official told IANS.

Around 1,400 villagers who fled their homes Saturday due to indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan Rangers were still camped at safer places away from their homes, the official added.

They were in camps at Hiranagar, Chan Kahtriyan and Maren in Kathua district and at Regaal and Chichi Mata in Samba district.

The official said male members of some of the families visited their villages Sunday morning to feed the cattle but decided against returning home with the women and children for now.

Two soldiers and a woman were killed and 10 injured Saturday in two incidents of Pakistan shelling and firing on the international border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.