SRINAGAR: At least 26 civilians were killed and 158 injured and 216 structures damaged in Pakistani troops firing and shelling along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir in last two years.
BSF, meanwhile, foiled second militant attack along IB in Samba sector today.
A security official said 12 civilians were killed and 79 injured in Pakistani troops firing along the IB and LoC in the State last year.
“Five civilian killings were killed in Pakistani troops firing in Vijaypur sector of Samba district. Two civilians each were killed in Rajouri and Mendhar sectors while a civilian each was killed in Haveli in Poonch and Marh and Chhamb in Jammu district,” he said.
According to the official of the 79 civilians injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling last year, 25 were injured in Suchetgarh sector, 13 in Mendhar, 10 in Bishnah, 9 in Vijaypur, 8 in Karnah, 4 each in Chhamb and Hira Nagar, and 3 each in Nowshera and Haveli sector.
There were over 450 border ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops last year, he said.
He said the Pakistani troops escalated the tension and resorted to firing and shelling on daily basis on civilian areas and security forces posts in the State after army’s September 28 surgical strikes on militant launch pads across the LoC.
The security official said in 2015, 14 civilians were killed and 79 injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling in the State.
The highest number of 6 civilian casualties took place in Mendhar sector, followed by 3 deaths of civilians in Suchetgarh, 2 in Chhamb and one each in Samba, Vijaypur and Hira Nagar sector, he said.
He further said of the79 civilians injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling in 2015, 51 were injured in Bishnah sector followed by 10 in Haveli, 9 in Hira Nagar, 5 in Mendhar, 3 in Vijaypur and 1 in Chhamb sector.
According to the official at least 216 structures were also damaged in the Pakistani troops firing and shelling on this side.
“115 structures were damaged in Jammu district, 46 in Kathua district, 30 in Poonch district, 21 in Sambha district and 4 in Rajouri district,” he said.
Underground Bunkers
Jammu and Kashmir government has submitted a proposal of construction of 20125 community concrete bunkers for border people at various places along the IB and LoC in Jammu province at an estimated cost of Rs 1006.25 crores, a government official said.
He said the proposal was submitted to Union Ministry of Home Affairs in February 2015.
The official said the MHA has approved construction of only 60 bunkers as a pilot project in the border block of Jammu district for an amount of Rs 300 lakhs.
“The construction work on 60 bunkers is under progress,” he said.
The residents of border area have been urging the State government to construct community underground bunkers for them so that they can take refuge in these bunkers when there is firing or shelling by Pakistani troops.
BSF foils 2nd militant attack in Samba
A BSF spokesman said the border guards today foiled a stand-off attack on duty mound at IB in Samba sector of Jammu region.
“At about 08.45 am, a group of heavily armed militants reached close to IB on Pakistani side taking advantage of undulating ground. Militants resorted to heavy fire on forward BSF troops deployed on duty mound from automatic weapons. They were fully supported by heavy fire from Pakistan posts. The BSF men effectively returned the fire and forced the militants to retreat,” he said.
The spokesman said it was the second militant attack foiled by BSF in Samba sector in last couple of day.