Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 21: Pakistani tonight pounded major areas of International Border in Ramgarh, Arnia and RS Pura sectors in Jammu and Samba districts with 82mm mortars and heavy arms firing taking number of civilians injured in the shelling last midnight and tonight to seven, apart from damages to several houses, cattle sheds, other structures and vehicles. A number of cattle were killed or injured in the shelling and firing.
Click here to watch video
Large number of people in Ramgarh sector tonight migrated to safer areas while many people from forward villages of Arnia and RS Pura sectors have already shifted to the houses of their relatives and other locations.
SSP Samba Anil Magotra told the Excelsior that people from Jerha, SM Pura, Nanga, Samandhu, Dagg and surrounding villages of Ramgarh sector in Samba district have shifted to Thandi Khui, Ramgarh town and other places in view of heavy mortar shelling and firing by the Rangers at these places.
Magotra said other buildings including premises of holy Chichi Mata Ji temple have been kept ready to accommodate the migrants. He said no casualties have been reported in Ramgarh sector so far.
Sources said seven civilians including a couple were injured in heavy mortar shelling by Pakistani Rangers on the IB in Arnia and RS Pura sectors last night as well as tonight while Pakistan also suffered heavy losses in retaliatory firing by the Border Security Force (BSF). While last night, Pakistani Rangers started mortar shelling and firing at 11.55 pm and continued it till 7 am in the morning, tonight it started at about 8 pm and was going on in almost entire Ramgarh, Arnia and RS Pura sectors including Arnia town when reports last came in.
The BSF was retaliating effectively and giving befitting response to the Rangers causing heavy damaged on the side of Pakistan.
“Mortars and bullets were raining heavily in all forward villages and town of Arnia sector from 8 pm on wards. Similar was the situation in the border areas last night after 11.55 pm,” sources said.
Kishore Lal, 40 and his wife Pammi Devi, 35, were injured when a mortar shell fell on their roof and splinters pierced inside their bedroom, where they were sleeping at village Kathar Kothe in Arnia sector last night. Gurdev Singh Saini of Kool Khurd, who had come to Arnia and Seema Devi wife of Sat Pal of Arnia were also injured in the shelling.
In tonight’s shelling, Parveen Kumar son of Kasturi Lal of Jabowal, Sohan Singh son of Om Prakash R/o Sheikh Chak, RS Pura and Roma Devi wife of Rakesh Kumar of Suchetgarh were injured.
All seven injured have been admitted in the Government Medical College, Jammu.
Sources said a number of cattle were killed or injured at Kathar, Pindi, Jabowal, Kol Camp and adjoining villages of Arnia sector while houses, cattle shed and other structures suffered extensive damage.
“Almost all forward posts of BSF and villages in Ramgarh, Arnia and RS Pura sectors witnessed intense mortar shelling and heavy arms firing from the Rangers,” sources said, adding that the BSF was giving very effective response.
Though Pakistan have been shelling Arnia sector for the past one week now, this was for the first time when it also extended area of shelling and firing to Ramgarh and RS Pura sectors also.
There had been continuous firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB between September 13 and September 18.
A BSF jawan and a civilian were killed and 12 others injured in the shelling and firing by Pakistani Rangers in Arnia sector while casualties were significantly very high on Pakistan side.
On the intervening night of September 17 and September 18, Pakistan Rangers opened unprovoked firing in Arnia sector and later resorted to mortar shelling.
The night before, several border outposts and villages in Arnia sector were targeted by Pakistani troops. Mortar shells reached Arnia town and about a dozen shells exploded in Arnia bus stand, killing a woman and injuring several others.
On September 16, Pakistani troops targeted Indian border outposts and hamlets along the IB in Arnia. One religious place, houses and three cowsheds were damaged in the Pakistani firing in Sai, Treva and Jabowal villages.
Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. Till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
