NEW DELHI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- At least four civilians were killed and 30 others wounded during the intense overnight skirmishes between India and Pakistani troops in restive Kashmir region, police said Wednesday.
The fresh skirmishes have led to a wave of migrations from residents of frontier areas as Wednesday marked the third straight day of the bloody skirmishes.
"In a night long shelling, firing from across the border at Jammu International Border Kathua to Akhnoor so far four deaths have taken place and 30 injured. Very sad indeed," region's Police Chief Sesh Paul Vaid wrote on twitter.
Hundreds of people have abandoned their houses and migrated to safer places.
According to India's official broadcaster All India Radio, around 40,000 people in R. S. Pura, Arnia, Ramgarh, Samba and Hiranagar sectors of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts have shifted to safer places in the wake of the intense shelling.
Indian officials said the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were retaliating effectively to the firing.
The latest round of shelling that started on May 15 has damaged several houses, other structures and crops, besides causing fatalities.
Pakistan was yet to issue a fresh statement on the skirmishes.
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.
