Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 11: Ahead of Independence Day celebrations and reports that Pakistan might try to push militants into Indian territory, the Pakistani Rangers this evening resorted to heavy firing on forward Indian pickets in Arnia sector wounding a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan.
Official sources said the Rangers started firing on forward Indian posts of Pindi Sarochan, Pittal and Chenaz in Arnia sector at 6.50 pm today simultaneously. Initially, the BSF exercised restraint but later they retaliated to silence the Pakistani guns.
Heavy firing continued till 9 pm after which intermittent firing was on.
A BSF jawan Ram Avtar Dubey of 200 battalion, who was manning forward Pittal Post, was seriously injured in firing by the Rangers. He was evacuated from the site of firing and admitted in Ramgarh hospital from where he was referred to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
Sources said the firing was unprovoked from the Pakistan side. The possibility of the Rangers facilitating infiltration by the militants under the garb of firing has not been ruled out, they added and said the BSF was on high alert along the International Border especially after the detection of a tunnel dug into the Indian territory in Samba sector.
Few days back, two BSF jawans were injured in firing by the Rangers in Pansar forward area of Samba sector.
This was for the second time when the Rangers have resorted to heavy firing in violation of ceasefire agreement between Indian and Pakistan in past one week.
Prior to this, the Rangers had opened firing at Kot Kubba Post of Arnia sector.
The BSF had lodged a strong protest with the Rangers in a flag meeting over firing at Pansar and Arnia sector earlier, sources said, adding that the BSF was expected to lodge protest again over another round of firing tonight in Arnia.
“Pakistan wanted to activate both Line of Control (LoC) and IB in Jammu during Independence Day celebrations and under the garb of firing push militants into Indian side. However, Army and BSF have effectively thwarted the designs of the militants’’, sources said.
Pakistan had also twice violated ceasefire in Poonch sector recently. The ultimate aim of the firing was to facilitate infiltration by the militants. However, the intrusion bids have been foiled.
A number of militants have been camping across LoC and IB awaiting an opportunity to sneak into this side. However, infiltration attempts by the militants have failed.
At about 10 pm, firing slowed down from Pakistan side, sources said, adding the Indian side was forced to retaliate to silence Pakistani guns.
Army, BSF and police have already sounded a high alert along LoC, IB and adjoining area following reports that Pakistan could play mischief during Independence Day celebration.
During previous firing by the Rangers in Arnia, suspicious movement of four to five persons had been spotted on the border.
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