Jawan dies, Pak Ranger killed as BSF fires back

A boy is given medical aid at a government hospital after being injured in firing from across LoC in R.S. Pura sector of Jammu. (Photo: PTI)

BSF on Thursday said it had killed a Pakistani paramilitary jawan and wounded another after a BSF jawan died and six civilians were injured in shelling and firing from across the International Border in R.S. Pura and Arnia sectors since Wednesday night.

Pakistani troops also violated ceasefire along LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on Thursday.

“At 1230 and 1315 hours today, BSF troops in Arnia and R S Pura sectors killed one Pakistani Ranger and seriously injured another in the retaliatory firing,” a senior BSF officer said here.

Pakistani Rangers somehow managed to evacuate their grievously injured colleague in the vehicle amidst exchange of fire, officer said.

“Pakistani has resorted to very heavy firing which is being responded in the befitting manner,” he said.

Earlier, a BSF jawan died and six civilians were injured when Pakistani troops shelled over 15 Indian border outposts and 29 hamlets with mortar bombs and fired heavily from automatic weapons overnight in R.S. Pura and Arnia sectors along the International Border (IB) in Jammy district.

Earlier, a BSF head-constable was killed and six civilians were injured as the Pakistan Rangers continued to pound the Indians forward posts and civilians areas along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir’s R.S. Pura with small arms and mortar guns on Thursday.

Meanwhile, an Army jawan was killed and another wounded in a firefight with suspected militants in Tanghdar sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Kashmir Valley on Thursday, the Army and police source said. The clash was underway when reports last came in.

The BSF said that the Pakistani Rangers started unprovoked firing and shelling on its Border Outposts (BOPs) in R.S. Pura and Arnia sectors of Jammu districts around 9 pm on Wednesday and continue it through Thursday. Heavy shelling and also took place in the Ramgarh area of neighbouring Samba sector along the IB. “Our jawans retaliated and gave them befitting reply”, said a BSF spokesman. The exchange of fire was going on also in Sai, Treva, Bidipur, Joda, Arnia, SM Pur and Chanliyal areas along the border.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that five civilians were injured in the Indian firing and shelling on Thursday. The “intense and heavy” exchange of fire continued for 11 hours on Harpal and Chaprar sectors on the Working Boundary, it said. It added in a statement that the Pakistan Rangers responded “befittingly” to Indian firing and inflicted “heavy casualties” while targeting Indian posts.