Over 40,000 border villagers were forced to migrate from their homes as Pakistani forces continued to target civilian and defence facilities in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts on Wednesday, police told the Economic Times.
The report said while some migrants have taken shelter in makeshift camps set up by the administration, most others fled to the houses of relatives and friends.
Each household has left behind a male member to fend for the cattle and guard their homes from burglars, the Economic Times reported.
The report also said that the Pakistani side resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing at the Border Security Force and civilian facilities for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, a police officer said.
On Tuesday, 18 civilians were injured in the Pakistani shelling in R.S. Pura and Ramgarh sectors.
India's Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India will take any "comment on wanting peace" by Pakistani officials "seriously", the Times of India reported on Monday.
Sitharaman, while talking to Indian media on the sidelines of a seminar in New Delhi today, said that: "Any comment on wanting peace will definitely be taken seriously."
The Indian minister was referring to Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa's remarks made in April where he called for "comprehensive and meaningful dialogue" between both countries to look for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute.
While addressing a passing out parade ceremony, Bajwa had expressed Pakistan's "complete political and moral support" for the people of Kashmir who are fighting for their "basic right of self-determination". He added that while "such dialogue is no favour to any party" it is the only way to ensure peace across the region, according to a Dawn News report.
"It is our sincere belief that the route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes — including the core issue of Kashmir — runs through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue," he had said, adding: "Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour."
When asked if the Indian army would stand by the government's announcement of a ceasefire in India-held Kashmir during Ramazan, Sitharaman claimed that the defence ministry will "fully honour the policy which the Home Ministry on behalf of the government of India announced".
Last week, the Indian home ministry had announced that government troops in held Kashmir had been asked to stop counter-insurgency operations during the Muslim fasting month of Ramazan so that it can be observed “in a peaceful environment.”