Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 17: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was among two persons injured when Pakistan Rangers opened fire and lobbed mortars at over 15 Border Out Posts and some civilian areas along the International Border in Samba and Kathua districts last night, leading to panic among the border dwellers as they feared repeat of January like situation when number of civilians were killed and injured in Pakistan shelling on the IB.
The firing and mortar shelling along the IB in Samba district started around 2 am, while it begin at around 10 pm last night in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district.
Sources said BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated and the exchange of fire continued till wee hours of the morning.
Schools in five km area along the IB in Hiranagar sector were closed by authorities in the wake of the shelling this morning as authorities anticipated that Pakistani Rangers could resume firing even during the day. However, the day passed off peacefully in both Samba and Hiranagar sectors.
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Sources said Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire and resorted to heavy and unprovoked mortar shelling and firing along the IB on 10 to 15 BOPs in Samba and Hiranagar sectors last night.
In the exchanges, a BSF jawan suffered injuries and has been hospitalized.
While one BSF jawan suffered injuries in Samba, another civilian Daulat Ram suffered injuries in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district. Condition of both of them was stated to be stable. Few cattle perished in the shelling.
The areas hit in the cross border firing and shelling included Regal, Chalyari, Chachwal,
Manguchak, Suchetgarh, Bobiya, Londi, Karol Katav, Manyari and Chann Lal Din in Samba and Hiranagar sectors.
The BSF retaliated very effectively to silence the Pakistani guns, which were targeting civilian areas and forward posts.
Authorities have activated safe shelters and other facilities and alerted police for evacuation in case of escalation in the exchanges of shelling and firing.
Panic-stricken border dwellers stayed inside their houses in parts of Samba and Hiranagar sectors even during the day anticipating fresh shelling from across the border. However, there was no shelling or firing from Pakistan side during the day in any border area.
On May 15, a 28-year-old BSF jawan was killed as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by opening fire on forward posts to help infiltrators cross the International Border (IB) in Samba sector. Troops also foiled four infiltration bids along the IB since Sunday.
The BSF jawan’s death took the number of persons killed in over 700 incidents of Pakistani shelling along the IB and Line of Control (LoC) in the State to 33, the highest this year. The deceased included 17 security personnel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on May 19.
Five militants had managed to infiltrate from the International Border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district on Sunday night. Security forces continued search and cordon operation to eliminate the militants but a contact with them hasn’t been established so far.
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