Jammu, Apr 17 (PTI): Pakistani troops fired from automatic weapons and shelled mortars on forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today, in the sixth instance of ceasefire violation this month.

"Pakistani Army fired indiscriminately from small arms and automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling from 0800 hours today on Indian Army posts along the LoC in Noushera belt of Rajouri district," a defence spokesman said.

Army troops deployed on forward posts retaliated and the exchange was continuing till last reports came in. This is the sixth ceasefire violation this month. On April 8, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir by resorting to firing on forward posts.

On April 5, ceasefire violation took place along the LoC in Poonch district. On April 4, Pakistani Army fired mortar shells on Indian Army posts along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district.

On April 3, Pakistani troops had shelled mortar bombs on forward posts in Balakote sector of Rajouri district. In the second ceasefire violation on April 3, Pakistani troops had shelled Indian posts along the LoC in Digwar area in Poonch sector.

In the same area, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), Naib Subedar S Sanayaima Som, was killed in an improvise explosive device (IED) blast along the LoC in Poonch sector on April 1. There were four violations of the ceasefire along the LoC in Poonch in March.

On March 9, army jawan Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed when Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing along the LoC in Poonch. In 2016 there were 228 instances of ceasefire violation along the LoC, while there were 221 instances of ceasefire violation along the International Border (IB).