Indian Air Defence Intercepts Suspected Pakistani Projectiles, Debris Found In Punjab

Amritsar: India's air defence system, which was activated soon after Indian armed forces carried out precision missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Bahawalpur, which is a major base of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit, has successfully intercepted suspected Pakistani projectiles along the border, with debris found in a village in Punjab.

Punjab, which shares a 532-km border with Pakistan and a state known for volatile security scenario from time to time, is one of closest targets of Pakistani ballistic missiles.

Meanwhile, the state police has cancelled leaves of all its personnel while the state government has shut schools in six border districts, officials said on Thursday.

Amid the soaring tension, all schools in six border districts of Punjab -- Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran -- have been shut until further orders.

On Wednesday, state minister Aman Arora said since Punjab's close border with Pakistan can make it a centre of security volatility. According to him, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial during any military tension.

All districts near the border have been placed on high alert. The government has also cancelled all public events in view of the prevailing situation, he said. "Punjab Police is also fully prepared as the second line of defence. It will join the army in every battle to deliver a crushing response to any Pakistani attack," he added.

On Thursday, in response to Wednesday's attack, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy cross border shelling along the Line of Control in Karnah area of Kupwara district. Pakistan army claimed that 31 people were killed and 57 others injured in the Indian missile strikes launched shortly after midnight.

Separately, Pakistan's ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir have claimed the lives of 13 civilians in the Poonch sector and injured a total of 59 people, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. Out of the total injured, 44 were from Poonch, the external publicity division of the MEA said.

The Pakistan Army has been resorting to heavy shelling in several sectors along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir which was effectively responded to by the Indian Army.