Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Pakistani Rangers today again opened firing on the International Border in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors in Samba and Jammu districts targeting the BSF posts in forward areas but failed to cause any casualties or damage even as death toll in shelling by the Rangers in first week of this month today rose to four after one of the injured woman succumbed to her injuries in the Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
Official sources said 40 years old Madhu Bala wife of Pawan Kumar, a resident of border village of Chan Lal Din in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district, who was injured in Pakistan shelling in the morning of January 3 succumbed to her injuries in the GMC Jammu, where she had been admitted since then.
Madhu Bala had sustained mortar splinters all over her body and was battling between life and death.
Body of the woman was handed over to her family after post-mortem in the hospital.
With this, death toll in mortar shelling and firing by the Rangers in first week of this month has reached four. Two BSF jawans and a woman were killed earlier in the firing while 10 others were injured.
Over 10,000 people from all border villages of Hiranagar and Samba sectors had migrated to relief camps in safer zones in view of shelling deep inside the Indian territory by Pakistan leading to BSF and civilian casualties and heavy damage to houses of the people.
Almost all the migrants have now returned to their homes, sources said but added that fear still prevailed among the border villagers as they anticipated that Pakistan could resort to firing anytime. Majority of people were not taking to their fields due to the fear of firing, sources said.
Meanwhile, sources said the Rangers first opened firing at forward post of Majra in Ramgarh sector of Samba district at 2.15 pm. The BSF retaliated.
Both sides exchanged few rounds of firing for 15 minutes, sources said, adding the firing stopped at 2.30 pm. It was only small arms firing from Pakistan and the BSF retaliated effectively using only small arms.
“There were no casualties or damage on the Indian side in the firing,’’ sources said.
They added that at about 3.10 pm, the Rangers fired a burst at Pittal Post in Arnia sector of Jammu district. The BSF, however, didn’t retaliate.
There was no firing after that.
During past one week, there is virtual lull on the IB after heavy exchange of firing and shelling on the new year in which two BSF jawans and a woman was killed and several houses were damaged.
Follow our WhatsApp channel