Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 18: Even as Pakistani Rangers continued firing along the International Border in Arnia sector last night, troops thwarted two infiltration attempts by two big groups of militants along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote and Shahpur sectors of Poonch district and one along the IB in Suchetgarh sector while the BSF has submitted a report to the Union Home Ministry on tense situation on the IB for the past four days.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the BSF had submitted a report on the border situation to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh apprising him of tension in Arnia sector and mischief by the Rangers to create trouble on the International Border by resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing targeting not only the BSF posts but even the civil population.
Sources said the BSF is understood to have learnt that some militants might have been mixed up with the Pakistani Rangers and resorted to direct firing on the BSF posts and jawan to cause casualties among them.
“This was evident from the bullets received by the dead BSF jawans as the weapon with which they had been fired were not being used by the Rangers, which indicated that the highly trained militants had mixed up with the Rangers to create trouble on the International Border,’’ they added.
Sources said the militants, who might have mixed up with the Rangers were capable of using heavy guns, which had targeted the BSF posts from across the border.
BSF Director General DK Pathak had also said yesterday that movement of 45 to 50 militants has been observed across the International Border and they could attempt to infiltrate into this side under cover of Pakistani firing.
The Rangers continued intermittent firing in Arnia sector last night but firing ceased during early hours of this morning. There was no report of firing during the day today but the people stayed indoors and didn’t venture out for cultivation of paddy crop, which had started after onset of Monsoon.
The people generally stayed indoors fearing resumption of firing from the Pakistan side. It may be mentioned here that a BSF jawan was killed and seven others including three BSF personnel and four civilians were injured in Pakistan firing on Wednesday.
Last night, BSF had foiled a major infiltration attempt in Suchetgarh sector by a group of five to six militants.
Meanwhile, on the LoC, sources said a group of five militants tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory from Panjani Nullah in Balakote sector of Mendhar tehsil twice during the last night. The militants first tried to enter into this side from 11.30 pm to 12.15 am and then from 2 am to 2.30 am.
The alert Army personnel retaliated and forced the militants to retreat back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from where they had been launched.
Another group of half a dozen militants attempted infiltration from Shahpur sector in Poonch district at 2.30 am. The troops fired aiming the direction the militants were taking to infiltrate into this side and pushed them back.
The infiltration attempts have picked up on both LoC and IB. While BSF had foiled intrusion bid by the militants in Suchetgarh sector on the IB at about 9.30 pm last night, Army thwarted two such attempts at Balakote and Shahpur in Poonch district.
There had been reports that the militants backed by Pakistan Army and Rangers could make more infiltration attempts along the LoC and IB in the coming days as they wanted to gain their strength ahead of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which were scheduled to be held in November-December.
Follow our WhatsApp channel