SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Indian army officials on Thursday accused Pakistani troops of cease-fire violations in border area, saying an exchange of fire killed one and wounded four others.
An employee of Indian army's General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) was killed and four others including a border guard and a civilian were wounded, the officials said.
The casualties were reported in Krishna Ghati sector of frontier Poonch district, about 185 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta told Xinhua that Pakistani troops in the early morning violated cease-fire in Poonch and adjacent Rajouri district.
"Today Pakistani army resorted to cease-fire violation along the LoC in Naushera sector of Rajouri district and Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district," Mehta said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's military has also accused India of attacking Pakistanis in border towns in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
The military said in a statement three villagers were wounded early Thursday by small arms and mortar fire from the Indian side of the border.
Pakistani troops returned fire, the statement said.
An increase in cease-fire violations on LoC has been recorded by both sides since last month. The firing on LoC also triggered civilian migrations.
Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply.
LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India- and Pakistan-controlled parts.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
