*5 BSF posts, 6 villages targeted with mortars
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 15: Two days before the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and days after India and Pakistan Premiers met at Russian City of Ufa and skipped Kashmir from dialogue, the Pakistani Rangers today resorted to heavy firing and shelling on the International Border (IB) in Kanachak and Pargwal areas of Akhnoor sector targeting five Border Out Posts (BOPs) of BSF and six forward villages, killing a woman and injuring five others including two BSF jawans and three civilians.
The Rangers used 82mm mortar shells in targeting forward posts of the BSF and civilian areas throughout the day intermittently confining the people inside their houses and sending wave of panic as sowing season had just begun for the farmers following good Monsoon. The people had to migrate last year following heavy shelling and firing from Pakistan side.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Rangers, all of a sudden, started unprovoked firing and mortar shelling targeting five forward BOPs of the BSF and six villages, located close to the IB, including Sidherwan, Bhalwal, Bhareth, Pargwal, Garkhal and Mala Bela in Pargwal and Kanachak areas of Akhnoor sector at 8.45 am today when the villagers had just started work in their fields while others were heading towards the fields from their houses.
The BSF immediately took positions from their forward posts and retaliated, leading to heavy exchange of firing.
A woman was killed on spot after being hit with splinters of mortar shells while three civilians and two BSF jawans were injured. Immediately thereafter, the people rushed back to their houses and confined themselves inside throughout the day. BSF and police authorities also advised the villagers to stay inside in view of shelling and firing from across the border.
“There was heavy shelling and firing in forward areas of Kanachak and Pargwal from 8.45 am to 12 noon. After brief halt, the Rangers resumed shelling at 3.40 pm, which continued till 6.45 pm,” sources said, adding thereafter there was no small arms firing from across the border.
“The BSF gave befitting reply to Pakistan shelling but casualties or damage on other side of the LoC was not known,” sources said.
A 42 year old woman Poli Devi wife of Arun Kumar R/o Bhareth was killed on spot after being hit by splinters of mortar shells. A mortar shell exploded in the field at village Bhareth, where she was working killing her instantly while Ramesh Lal, 24, son of Ram Lal, Usha Devi, 38 wife of Swaran Singh and Surinder Kumar, 22, son of Babu Ram, all residents of Bhalwal Bhareth were the civilians, who were injured in shelling. Two injured BSF jawans have been identified as Anjani Kumar and YP Tiwari.
All injured have been admitted in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and Primary Health Centre (PHC) Pargwal. Condition of all of them was stated to be stable.
The divisional administration has, meanwhile, kept several buildings in Pargwal, Kanachak and Akhnoor vacant to keep the people in case of migration from the forward areas.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pawan Kotwal told the Excelsior that the civil administration officials camping at forward areas have advised the people not to venture out in the fields and don’t sleep in open or roofs to survive from mortar shelling if the shells were fired again.
“We have opened Government schools and community halls at Pargwal, Kanachak and Akhnoor in case the people migrated from the houses,” Kotwal said.
Sources said about 100 people had reached the Government higher secondary school in Pargwal tonight as precautionary measure. Later, they left for the houses of their relatives. The administration has identified half a dozen Government schools and community halls for safety of the people. The administration has asked the people living in pucca houses to sleep inside and not outside or roofs while those with kucha houses can shift to the Government buildings.
Though there was no firing in Arnia sector, three Government buildings have been reserved there to meet with the firing threat.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh spoke to the Divisional Commissioner this afternoon and asked him to ensure proper treatment of injured and safety of the border people all along the IB by keeping Government buildings ready for them with all facilities.
Sources said several BSF posts were hit by mortar shells during the day causing injuries to two BSF jawans, guarding the posts. The Rangers also targeted a BSF vehicle, which was heading towards one of the forward posts to evacuate the injured jawan, Anjani Kumar. However, the BSF jawans braved shells and bullets and managed to evacuate their injured colleague, who was later shifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu.
According to sources, several 82mm mortar shells fired by the Rangers, fell inside the fields in the afternoon but the people had left the fields by then and taken shelter inside their houses and bunkers.
“There was panic among the villagers living in forward areas at both Pargwal and Kanachak as they had witnessed almost similar situation during these months last year when Pakistan had resorted to shelling and firing, leading to extensive damage, injuries and migration of the people to Government schools from forward villages,” sources said, adding the people feared that such a situation might arise this year also if Pakistan persisted with shelling and firing.
The farmers were more worried as Monsoon rains had revived their hopes of good Monsoon season and they had started sowing the crops. Sources said the crop season was also one of the reasons behind heavy firing by the Rangers though primarily they wanted to divert attention from domestic problem, which had erupted in Pakistan following Modi-Sharief talks in Ufa, Russia on July 10 minus Kashmir issues. Sharif was facing strong criticism back home as well as from hardliner Hurriyat Conference leaders for giving up Kashmir issue. Moreover, Modi is visiting Jammu on July 17 to participate in birth centenary celebrations of veteran Congress leader and former Minister Girdhari Lal Dogra.
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