BSF jawan injured as Pak forces violate ceasefire in J&K

Amir Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 21  

A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was injured on Friday after Pakistani rangers violated ceasefire in Kathua district's Hiranagar sector.

The wounded trooper, Gurnam Singh of the 173 Battalion who was posted at the Bobiyan border outpost (BOP), has been moved to Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu for specialised treatment.

BSF Inspector General of Jammu Frontier DK Upadhyay said: “The ceasefire violation occurred around 9.30 am today in which one of our personnel has been injured. After the incident we are retaliating in befitting manner”.

“As per our reports, 5 to 10 personnel of Rangers have been neutralised in the retaliatory fire,” Upadhyay said, adding that firing is still under way.

The ceasefire violation comes a day after the BSF foiled an infiltration bid in the same sector.

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This is the first ceasefire violation on the International Border since the surgical strikes of September 28, although there have been frequently shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) since.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army on the LoC foiled an infiltration bid in a densely forested area in Poonch sector on Friday morning. 

Defence spokesperson Lt Colonel Manish Mehta said that the Army saw a group of 2-3 suspected militants trying to cross LoC.

When challenged, the group of militants opened fire on Indian Army, “which was retaliated in equal measure forcing the group to flee back,” he said. 

Around 12.40 pm on Friday, Pakistani Army resorted to unprovoked firing in Rajouri sector by using small arms and automatics. Indian Army responded with similar calibre weapons and firing continues till last reports came in.