Jammu, Oct 17: The Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire overnight by resorting to unprovoked firing on forward posts and villages along the International Border (IB) in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

The firing in the Pansar-Manyari area started around 9.15 PM Friday and continued through the night, forcing the residents to take shelter in the underground bunkers, the officials said. Jammu And Kashmir: Terrorist Neutralised by Security Forces in Encounter in Anantnag District; Gunfight Underway.

They said BSF troops guarding the IB retaliated strongly. There was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, they said. However, a barber shop suffered some damages, the officials said, adding the cross-border firing between the two sides stopped around 5.55 am.

A 48-year-old man o Manyari village received minor injures, the officials said.

According to official sources, 3,589 ceasefire violations by Pakistan were reported along the LoC and International Border till October 6 this year compared to a total of 3,168 in 2019.

The highest 427 ceasefire violations took place in September followed by 411 in March and 408 in August, the sources said, adding July recorded 398 ceasefire violations, June and April (387 each), May (382), February (366) and January (367). The sources said 62 ceasefire violations were reported in the first six days of this month.