People protest on border
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 9: Two Pakistani Rangers were killed and a Border Security Force (BSF) head constable was martyred in heavy exchange of firing along the International Border (IB) in Ramgarh sector of Samba district in wee hours of this morning.
This is the third ceasefire violation by the Rangers in last 24 days. The BSF has retaliated to firing by the Rangers very effectively causing heavy damage on Pakistan side. However, sudden spurt in ceasefire violations has panicked the people living close to the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts who feared that any escalation will bring back bad days for them when they had to migrate to safer areas while many people and cattle suffered fatalities and they were unable to cultivate crops near the Zero Line.
BSF Head Constable Lal Fam Kima, 50, a resident of Aizwal, Mizoram, suffered injuries and was evacuated to a local hospital. He was later moved to the GMC Hospital in Jammu, the officials said.
The head constable attained martyrdom.
His body has been shifted to GMC Hospital’s mortuary for post-mortem.
“During night intervening 8/9 Nov 2023, Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing in Ramgarh area which was befittingly responded to by BSF troops,” the BSF said in a statement.
Ramgarh Community Health Centre doctors said that one BSF jawan was injured in Pakistani firing and reported to the centre for treatment around 1 am.
Mohan Singh Bhatti of Jerda village said that the firing started around 12.20 am and later escalated into shelling. “A fear psychosis is prevailing along the IB due to firing and shelling,” he said.
The body of martyred BSF head constable Lal Fam Kima is likely to reach his Aizawl home in Mizoram tomorrow.
Originally from Phuaibuang village in Saitual district, Kima along with his family used to stay in Aizawl’s Durtlang locality. He is survived by his wife and three children.
In a post on X, the BSF said, “Director General and all ranks of Border Security Force salute the supreme sacrifice of HC/GD Lal Fam Kima of 148 Bn who succumbed to injuries during unprovoked Cross Border Firing incident along the Jammu Border. Prahari Parivar stands by his family in this trying time.”
On October 28, Pakistan Rangers indulged in heavy firing and shelling for around seven hours, resulting in injuries to two BSF jawans and a woman.
On October 17, two BSF personnel had been injured in unprovoked firing by the Rangers in Arnia sector.
It is the sixth overall violation since the two sides signed a ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021
Meanwhile, people at the border areas held protests against Pakistan over its firing and shelling along the International Border in Samba district.
Led by Sarpanch Balbir Kour, scores of people of Treva village in Arnia sector along the IB held anti-Pakistan protests and demanded action.
Treva had also received cross-border shelling on October 28.
Speaking to reporters, Sarpanch Balbir Kaur said that every person living along the border is sad due to the BSF head constable’s death.
“We want to pay tribute to the jawan martyred in firing by Pakistan Rangers. We stand with the family in this grave hour,” she said.
“We stand with the BSF and the Army. We will not be cowed down,” Kour added.
Pointing out that it was the time of paddy harvesting, Kour said that farmers would be afraid of working in the fields given the incidents of cross-border firing. She also urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make permanent arrangements to ensure their safety.
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