MUZAFFARABAD: Two residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) were martyred, while another was injured when Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday, marking the first major `wilful` ceasefire violation in two and a half years, police and military sources said.The casualties occurred at 12 noon when the victims were grazing cattle on their side of the unmarked dividing line in Tetrinote area, Mohammad Naseer, an official at a police post in nearby Doonga village, told Dawn by telephone.

Tetrinote is the location of crossing point at the LoC in Poonch division, but the crossing is currently nonfunctional.

`Indian troops opened fire on them without any provocation, leaving the eldest of them dead on the spot and the other two wounded,` the police official said.

Witnesses said that the injured persons were evacuated by the villagers to a health facility, where one of them succumbed to his wounds.

The martyred, who were identified as Mohammad Qasim, 58, and Obaid Qayyum, 22, were laid to rest in their Bara Dari Tetrinote village in the evening.

The injured, Hameed alias Bhutto, 48, was out of danger.

The Foreign Office said the Indian charge d` affaires was summoned on Saturday to register Pakistan`s strong protest over the ceasefire violation in Satwal Sector on the Line of Control (LoC).

In a separate statement, Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) also confirmed that the Indian Army had opened indiscriminate fire onto a group of shepherds in a display of its `traditional inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris`.

`Driven by a newfound geo-political patronage,Indian forces have embarked on a plan to take innocent lives to satiate their false narratives and concocted allegations,` the ISPR said.

It said that while a strong protest was being launched with the Indian side, Pakistan reserved the right to respond back in manner of its choosing to protect Kashmiri lives in the L oC belt.

`Indian side is reminded to respect basic human rights of Kashmiris, particularly, their inalienable right to till their lands,` the ISPR said.

The ceasefire violation by the Indian Army also drew severe condemnation from AJK`s leadership.

Iftikhar A.Khan also contributed to this report