A BSF constable was killed as Pakistani Rangers resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire along the International Border in Arnia and adjoining R S Pura sectors near Jammu during wee hours of Friday. Sources said that trouble erupted when Pakistani mortar shells suddenly broke an eerie silence along the border in Arnia sector at around 1.10 am. Following which, three BSF outposts- S M Base, Budwar and Nikkowal- were targetted.
Identifying the deceased constable as Bajinder Bahadur of Uttar Pradesh, sources said that he was posted at Border Out Post (BOP) Chenaz. He succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital.
Panic erupted in nearby villages as mortar shells fired from across the border fell near residential areas. A mortar shell fell on the house of a Kesar Ram at Devigarh, partially damaging the building. However, no loss of life was reported. The firing soon spread to R S Pura sector where Pakistani Rangers fired two bursts of mortar shells at BSF outposts Jugnuvhak and Jai Kishan. No loss of life or property was reported in this area.
BSF retaliated in both the sectors. While firing in R S Pura had stopped, it was going on at intermittent intervals in Arnia. For the last four months, Pakistan has violated ceasefire along the border almost everyday. Nearly a dozen people, including Army and BSF personnel, have been killed so far and many were left injured. Over 4,000 people migrated from their native places in the wake of such incidents.
Last Wednesday, two BSF personnel were among four people injured in mortar shelling at various places along the Line of Control in Poonch district. Two porters were injured in Pakistani firing in Poonch sector on September 7.
The continued incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan has already led to suspension of cross LoC travel and trade between people living in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir for the last over two months.
