Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 28: Two senior officers of the Border Security Force (BSF) today visited forward villages in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district to assess the situation arising out of unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers last evening at Kothay Post in which a BSF Head Constable and a civilian were injured while the local Commanders of the BSF held a flag meeting with the Rangers at Pansar post this afternoon and lodged strong protest over Pakistan firing.
The firing amounted to ceasefire violation by the Rangers.
IG BSF, Jammu, Rajiv Krishna along with DIG Virender Singh took stock of the situation at the Kothay border post in Hiranagar area during the day today, official sources said.
“We retaliated strongly and silenced the Pakistani guns,” Mr Singh told reporters after assessing the situation on the International Border.
He added that the firing by the Rangers had caused injuries to a BSF jawan, manning a forward post, and a civilian working in the fields.
Asked whether it was deliberate attempt by the Pakistani troops to help intruders sneak into Indian territory ahead of the Independence Day, Mr Singh didn’t rule out such a possibility.
He, however, added that BSF troops were alert and ready to foil any “sinister” designs of the neighbouring country.
“Every year such circumstances arise, but we are ready to fight. Our forces are alert and are ready 24×7,” Mr Singh said.
Meanwhile, the BSF officials and Rangers held a flag meeting at Pansar Post in Hiranagar sector at 3.30 pm today in which the BSF lodged strong protest over Pakistan’s unprovoked firing on the BSF posts yesterday.
The BSF warned the Rangers that they would have to face consequences for any ceasefire violation in future.
Meanwhile, the people along the border post lodged a protest against the firing by Pakistan Rangers and raised slogans against the neighbouring country.
Around 200 to 250 people, including men and women, from Manyari village asked Pakistan to stop troubling the innocent farmers from cultivating their lands along the border.
“They are not letting us live in peace. It is the season of paddy cultivation but there is so much terror among the people that they won’t be able to cultivate their lands along the zero line,” a border resident, Bushan Kumar said.
He added that the people in the forward villages were busy in the crop season but it seems the Rangers, who had started firing in the border villages once again, did not like this.
“There was lull on the International Border especially Samba-Hiranagar sector for past sometime. However, yesterday’s firing has once again frightened the villagers,” the locals said but hoped that better sense would prevail on the Rangers and they would restrain themselves from firing.
Yesterday, Pakistan Army had resorted to heavy arms firing on the LoC at Kirni Shahpur and Mandi sub sectors of Poonch while Rangers had opened firing at Kothay Chak in Hiranagar sector on the IB. A Pakistan Army jawan was killed and another injured in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops on the LoC.
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