Jammu border like a war zone: 8 killed
Amir Karim Tantray
Tribune News Service
Jammu, November 1
In stepped-up shelling by Pakistani troops along the International Border (IB), eight persons were killed and 23 injured today.
Six civilians died in Ramgarh sector of Samba district. Among them were two children and two women. In Tarkundi area of Rajouri district, two women were killed. The firing was so intense that it took three hours to evacuate the injured from their houses.
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Ravinder Kaur (19) of Jerdi village in Ramgarh sector was cooking when a shell exploded near her house, killing her on the spot. Rishav, Abdhi and Anju Devi (29) of Rangoor Camp village in Ramgarh sector were celebrating Bhai Dhooj when a shell exploded inside their house.
Marha Ram (60) of the same village was killed likewise. Three of his family members received splinter injuries.
Swarn Singh (32) of Govindgarh village reportedly died of shock during shelling. Sultan Begam (70) and her 28-year-old daughter-in-law Maqbool Begam, who were working in their fields, were killed in multiple explosions. Nine persons were injured in Ramgarh sector, four in Arnia, three in Nowshera and seven in Poonch sector.
With Pakistani Rangers and troops continuing to target civilian areas, two shells exploded near the Mendhar sub-district hospital and police station, triggering panic. Residents of Arnia town were forced to keep indoors because of heavy shelling.
The Pakistani army fired 120 mm and 82 mm mortars in Nowshera, Balakote and Mendhar sectors in Rajouri and Poonch. Border Security Force DIG Dharmendra Kumar Parekh said the Pakistani Rangers fired 82 mm mortars in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors at 6.30 am.
“At 7.10 am, three mortar shells landed in Pindi village of Arnia and injured four civilians. In calibrated retaliation to unprovoked firing and shelling, the BSF targeted posts of Pakistani Ranger, damaging 14 of them,” the DIG said.
At the Line of Control, the Pakistani army fired 120 mm and 82 mm shells and also used small arms. “The Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Nowshera (from 5.30 am) and Balakote sectors (from 9 am) by using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply and hit them where it hurts the most,” said Lt Col Manish Mehta, PRO, Defence, said.
Meanwhile, as civilian killings mount, anger is brewing among border residents, who feel they have been made “sitting ducks” by not making elaborate arrangements for safety of their lives and that of their livestock. “After the surgical strike, it was clear Pakistan would resort to firing on civilians but the state government failed to take any steps to provide security to us,” said Arvind Kumar, a resident of Chanana village of Bishnah.
Choudhary Balwinder, a BJP supporter, regretted that the state leaders had left them at the mercy of Rangers. “Killing of civilians has become routine in the border areas but state ministers have failed to convince the government to provide financial assistance. There has been no policy.”
(Inputs from Vishal Jasrotia, Shyam Sood, Dinesh Manhotra and DK Sudan)
