Jammu, Pakistan again resorted to small arms firing and intense mortar shelling on Wednesday, violating the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir's Rajouri district.

Defence ministry spokesman Colonel Devender Anand said at about 7.50 p.m. Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.

"The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly", the spokesman said.

Since the beginning of this year, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire on the LoC in J&K on a near daily basis, often doing so in more than one sector in a single day.

23 civilians have been killed and over 100 injured in over 2,720 ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the LoC this year so far.

J&K has a 740-km-long LoC with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.