Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 17: After a brief lull of two days, Pakistan Army and Rangers resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote and Manjakote sectors in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri and International Border (IB) in Arnia and RS Pura sectors since last night. Pakistan not only targeted forward posts of Army and BSF but also civilian areas at both LoC and IB.
The fresh round of firing and mortar shelling has left the civilians in panic, who feared for their lives, cattle stock and crops in the event of continued firing.
Official reports said the Rangers initially fired sniper shots at 1.15 am targeting forward BSF posts in wee hours of the morning in RS Pura sector and then extended similar firing to BSF posts in Arnia sector at 2.55 am. The BSF didn’t retaliate. The Rangers intensified the firing at 3.30 am in all forward posts and villages of Arnia and RS Pura sectors including Korotana Khurd, Abdullian, Tube Well, Pittal, Chenaz, Tent Guard etc prompting the BSF to retaliate, leading to heavy exchanges.
The Rangers targeted several civilian areas apart from the BSF posts in both Arnia and RS Pura sector leading to panic among the people. However, effective retaliation by the BSF silenced the Pakistani guns. The firing by the Rangers stopped at 6.30 am.
At 10 pm tonight, the Rangers fired one mortar shell at Pittal Post in Arnia but there was no damage.
The civilians came out of their houses for morning activities only around 8 am as firing completely came to a halt. However, the farming activity continued to suffer in entire Arnia sector with farmers refraining from working in the fields, which fall within the firing range of the Rangers, apprehending firing from across the border at any time.
Sources said several bullets landed inside houses of the civilians in early hours of the morning causing damage to the boundary walls but there were no casualties of civilians or cattle as the people had already taken the precautionary measures.
At about 8.45 am, Pakistan Army opened heavy firing and shelling in Balakote and Manjakote sectors of Poonch and Rajouri district targeting forward posts of the Army and villages including Tarkundi, Nangi Tekri, MS Tekri, Panjni, Swala, Ram Luta, Kanga and Sasuta. Some of the villages in Manjakote, bordering Balakote, were also hit with bullets and 82 mm mortar shells.
The Indian side retaliated effectively giving matching response to Pakistan.
Army spokesman Col Manish Mehta said Pakistan Army violated ceasefire and opened firing at 8.40 am in Hamirpur sector (which comprised Balakote, Mendhar, Manjakote sub sectors and surroundings) using semi automatic and automatic weapons.
“Our troops gave befitting reply using weapons of similar caliber. No damage or casualties have been reported on our side,’’ Col Mehta said.
Sources said the firing continued till 1 pm with some bullets and mortar shells landing in the civilian areas creating panic among the villagers.
During past two days, there had been no ceasefire violations from the Pakistan side. The Army officials of India and Pakistan had exchanged sweets on the occasion of Independence Day of the two countries on August 14 and 15 at Chakan-Da-Bagh and Hot Spring crossing points on the LoC in Poonch district but no such exchange of sweets took places on the International Border between BSF and Rangers.
There have been 10 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along LoC and IB in Jammu region during past 9 days and 11 in August this year. There was no ceasefire violation for past two days as gun fell silent along IB and LoC on August 15 and 16 after a nearly week-long heavy firing exchanges along Indo-Pak border.
The last ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops took place on August 14, when they resorted to unprovoked small arms and automatic weapons firing on Indian posts along LoC in Hamirpur sector of Poonch district around 1730 to 1810 hours.
Besides this, there were two other violations of ceasefire in Balakote (Mendhar) and Hamirpur sectors in Poonch on August 14 morning and August 13 night.
On August 13, Pakistani troops had resorted to firing by small arms and automatic weapons on forward posts along LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Poonch district, in which one jawan was injured.
On August 12, Pakistani Rangers had resorted to heavy firing with mortar shells, small arms and automatic weapons on five BoPs and civilian areas along the IB in Arnia-R S Pura areas in Jammu district.
Two BSF jawans were among four persons injured on August 11 when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing with small arms, automatic weapons and mortar shells on 10 border out posts and civilian areas along the International Border in Arnia and RS Pura belts of Jammu district.
On August 10, Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire by targeting Indian forward posts with small arms and automatic weapons along the Line of Control in Mendhar sector of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting Indian forces to retaliate.
Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire on August 8 by resorting to firing on Indian Posts along LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Poonch district. On August 5, there was ceasefire violation along LoC in Poonch.
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