* 8 live mortar bombs seized, 6 houses damaged
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 2: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed after he fell on the fencing while six civilians including two women were injured, eight live mortar bombs with ‘Made in Pakistan’ mark were recovered and six houses were damaged as Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling with 81mm mortars and firing on forward Indian posts and villages in Sabjian and Mandi sub sectors of Poonch district last mid-night, creating fresh wave of panic among the villagers living along the Line of Control (LoC).
Official sources and eyewitnesses told the Excelsior that Pakistan Army stepped-up firing and mortar shelling around 11 pm last night and extended it up to 1.15 pm in Sabjian and Mandi sub sectors of Poonch district directly targeting forward Indian positions and civilian areas. A number of 81mm mortar shells fell in the houses of civilians damaging them and causing injuries to the civilians.
Last night’s ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army was first in past about one month and was reportedly meant to divert attention from India’s tremendous success in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where Pakistan failed miserably to keep its point, sources said.
The troops from this side retaliated effectively to silence the Pakistani guns.
“Indian Army retaliated effectively after which Pakistani troops stopped firing and shelling,” sources said.
Six civilians were hit by splinters of mortars and bullets inside their houses at forward villages of Uripura and Gigriyal leading to injuries to them. Army evacuated them to Mandi hospital from where two of them were referred to District Hospital, Poonch in view of their critical condition while four others were undergoing treatment in Mandi hospital.
The injured have been identified as Haza Begum, 50, wife of Abdul Hamid, Sakina Begum, 25, wife of Mohammad Salim, Mumtaz Ahmad, 25, son of Aziz Mir, Ghulam Nabi son of Abdul Sama, all residents of Gagrian, Zaroor Ahmad, 45 son of Khali Ahmad and Khawaza Mohammad Din, 65, sons of Habiba Gujjar, both residents of Uripura.
Sources said condition of Zaroor Ahmad and Haza Begum was critical as they had sustained injuries on vital organs of their bodies. They were referred to District Hospital, Poonch while four others have been admitted in Mandi hospital.
Six houses were hit by mortar shells and bullets and damaged in the firing.
Meanwhile, a BSF jawan Barg Veer Singh of Punjab reportedly fell on concertina wire while repairing the fencing damaged in recent heavy floods and rains in Sabjian sector this morning and died on spot. His body has been shifted to hospital and will be sent to his native town after completion of legal formalities tomorrow morning.
Sources said Army conducted searches along the LoC in Sabjian and Mandi sectors this morning to ensure that the militants hadn’t managed to infiltrate into this side under the cover of firing by the Pakistani troops.
During searches, troops recovered five live mortar bombs at Sabjian and three in Gagrian, all of which had the marks of `Made in Pakistan’. The live mortar bombs had been fired by Pakistan Army targeting forward Indian positions and civilian areas but they had landed in the fields and didn’t explode. Army defused the live bombs safely.
Army didn’t suffer any casualties or damage in the firing and shelling.
Sources said Pakistan Army might have broken the ceasefire and resorted to sudden shelling and firing in view of frustration met to their country in the United Nations at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Yet another major reason for shelling and firing was being attributed to Pakistan Army and militants’ attempt to push militants into the Indian territory as there had been specific reports that two groups of five to eight militants were stationed at Sabjian and Gigriyal awaiting an opportunity to sneak into this side. Apart from them, a number of other militants were also camping across the LoC for intrusions, sources said.
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