BSF kills 7 Pak Rangers after jawan hurt in truce violation

Tribune News Service 

Jammu, October 21

The Border Security Force  today claimed to have killed seven Pakistani Rangers and a terrorist in retaliatory firing on the international border in the Hiranagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The border force action came after a sniper attack left BSF Constable Gurnam Singh of Bhaleshar in Magowali, RS Pura, seriously injured.

The BSF public relations officer said “in a befitting reply to a sniper attack of Pakistan Rangers at 9:35 am in the Hiranagar sector, the BSF launched an aggressive offensive. During intermittent firing of small arms, a terrorist and seven Rangers were shot dead. Source inputs received claim that a Pakistan post is running a news item claiming five Pakistan Rangers’ death”.

“Pak Rangers also used heavy 82 mortar fire and the firing stopped at 5 pm.”

He added that on the “intervening night of October 19 and 20, the BSF troops foiled an audacious infiltration bid in Bobiyan village of Hiranagar sector. The retaliation claimed a terrorist’s life”.

Meanwhile, heavy shelling triggered fresh migration in Bobiya and Pati villages located on Zero Line. The administration used bullet-proof vehicles to shift the residents to a temple in Kunthal village and Hiranagar Higher Secondary School, sources said.

There has been a series of ceasefire violations by Pakistan since the September 29 surgical strikes on terror launchpads across the border. 

Meanwhile, the PRO of Jammu Frontier claimed they had “confirmed information” of five Pakistan Rangers being killed and three seriously injured. “The Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing in Kathua, Samba and Paragwal sectors,” he added.

Pak shells Rajouri, Poonch villages

Rajouri: The Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling at Tarkundi in Poonch district and Manjakot in Rajouri district as residents prepared for Friday prayers. At least 10 mortar shells, fired from across the LoC, landed near the house of a Rajdhani village resident. “His five-year-old daughter, who was in the house, had a narrow escape. The family elders were busy harvesting a few hundred metres away,” said Mohammad Farooq, a resident of Manjakot. Sources said 30 mortar shells had landed in and around Rajdhani village and 10-15 shells in Naika village. — Shyam Sood