Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Akhnoor, Mulak Raj Sharma told PTI by phone that 891 families comprising more than 4,000 people fled several villages of Palanwalla border area to safety, the sources said.

Pakistani troops armed with heavy weaponry resorted to heavy firing along entire Line of Control in Palanwalla area and targetted civilian areas in particular. The mortar shelling by Pakistani troops continued uninterrupted for more than four hours this morning, the sources said.

The villages targetted by them include Jagwan, Baldoh,Haprayal, Millian Dekhoi, Sambain, Sachanial, Panjtoot, Dharn, Platan and Channi, the sources added. In the continued Pakistani firing, one Army jawan was killed and one injured and over a dozen cattle heads died, the sources said.

Sharma said the people, who had taken shelter near a forest area, were later taken to different government schools in Narain, Salannuli, Kaleeth, Khawari and Chak Mallel area of the Akhnoor border area.