Ceasefire Violation: Unprovoked Firing by Pakistani Troops in JK, BSF Man Injured

The Pakistani troops had also fired on Indian army posts along LoC in Balakote sector in Poonch district during the night.

Indian Army soldiers and a policeman take position behind a wall during a gunbattle on the outskirts of Srinagar. AP

SRINAGAR: After foiling of infiltration bid of militants by soldiers along Line of Control (LoC) in Tanghdar sector yesterday, Pakistani troops violated border ceasefire and targeted BSF and army posts in twin border districts of Kathua Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, injuring a border guard.

A BSF spokesman told Express over phone from Jammu that Pakistani troops without any provocation fired on their post “Bobiya” along International Border (IB) in Hira Nagar sector in Kathua district 11.20 am.

“It was totally an unprovoked firing from Pakistani side. A BSF constable A K Rabha was injured in the Pakistani firing and sustained bullet injuries in right ankle and right thigh,” he said adding the injured jawan was evacuated to Jammu hospital for specialized treatment.

He said the BSF men also returned the fire effectively. “The exchange of fire between the two sides continued for 10 minutes,” the BSF spokesman said adding there was no fresh fire from Pakistan after 11.30 am.

The Pakistani troops had also fired on Indian army posts along LoC in Balakote sector in Poonch district during the night.

“Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian army posts in Balakote sector,” Defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said. He said since midnight Pakistani troops fired intermittently from small arms and RPG Shells.

“They first fired on our posts at midnight and the firing continued for about 30 minutes. Later, Pakistani troops again resorted to unprovoked firing on our posts at 6 am,” Mehta said.

He said the army men exercised restraint.

“No casualties or damage to property was caused by the unprovoked Pakistani firing,” added Mehta. The International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir had been witnessing calm for some time as Pakistani troops had been respecting the border ceasefire and not firing on Indian posts.

The fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops came hours only after army men foiled an infiltration bid by militants along LoC in Tangdar in North Kashmir and killed three militants.