Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 23: A labourer was killed and two others were injured as Pakistani Rangers opened firing resorted to mortar shelling in several forward areas along the International Border (IB) in Samba sector this evening, violating ceasefire. This was the first major incident on the IB after the Director General level talks between BSF and Rangers from September 9 to 12 for four days in New Delhi.
Official sources said the Rangers first opened firing at Mangu Chak in Samba sector at 5.10 pm targeting the labourers, who were repairing fence along the IB in forward areas. The Rangers directly targeted the labourers, killing one of them and injuring two others.
The BSF jawans retaliated and evacuated the injured to hospital.
Raj Kumar, a labourer from Chhattisgarh was killed in the firing. Two injured were identified as Baldev Singh son of Swaran Singh, a resident of Ferozepur, Punjab and Bhagwat Prashad son of Ajju Ram R/o Chhatisgarh. Both of them have been admitted in the Government Medical College, Jammu with bullet wounds.
Panic gripped the border villages soon after Pakistani Rangers resumed firing after more than one and half months targeting the civilians. After the Director General level talks, there was complete peace on the IB and people were working in the fields right up to the Zero Line.
While initial spell of firing stopped at 5.40 pm, the Rangers resumed firing at Mangu Chak, Kheora, Chalyarian, Chak Durma and Regal in Samba sector again at 8.45 pm prompting immediate retaliation from the BSF. The Rangers also fired mortar shells on forward Indian post during ceasefire violations.
Heavy exchanges continued for about one hour after which intermittent exchange of firing continued between the two sides till late tonight.
However, no fresh casualties or damage was reported on the Indian side in the shelling and firing.
The BSF was retaliating effectively.
Sources said the Indian side was engaged in repair of the fencing to ensure that the militants didn’t manage to take advantage to infiltrate into the Indian territory. However, this didn’t augur well with the Rangers, who often facilitate the intrusion bids by the militants and they resorted to ceasefire violations, killing one labourer and injuring two others.
Sources said the people were panicky in the border areas as they feared escalation of fresh tensions between India and Pakistan.
It may be mentioned here that India and Pakistan had entered into an agreement to maintain peace and tranquility along the IB during the Director General level talks between BSF and Rangers in New Delhi from September 9 to 12. This was also first major violation of the agreement by the Rangers.
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