SRINAGAR: The tension has escalated along the border after two civilians and a BSF man were killed and 24 others including two border guards injured in heavy firing and mortar shelling of Pakistani troops along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
A BSF official said Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire and fired on at least 40 border out posts (BOPs) and civilian areas along the IB in RS Pura and Arnia sectors in Jammu, Ramgarh and Ghagwal sectors in Samba and Rajbagh sector in Kathua district.
He said the firing and shelling by Pakistani troops started at around 6.45 am and continued intermittently in the day also.
The official said Pakistani troops fired 52 mm and 82 mm mortar shells towards the BSF positions and civilian areas along the IB.
The border guards manning the BOPs returned the fire with similar calibre weapons.
The official said a BSF head constable Jagpal Singh sustained serious injuries in Pakistani troops firing in Samba district.
The injured border guard, who was manning Chillyari Post, was evacuated to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.
He said two other BSF men were also injured in the cross-border firing in Ramgarh sector and have been hospitalised.
The deceased BSF man Jagpal Singh, 49, hailed from Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh and is survived by a daughter and a son.
The entire stretch of IB in three districts of Samba, Kathua and Jammu witnessed heavy gunfire and mortar shelling from Pakistani troops. Many people sustained splinter injuries in their houses and two of them succumbed to injuries.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Arun Manhas, told New Indian Express that two civilians including a woman died in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling at Suchetgarh in R S Pura sector in Jammu.
He said both had being hit by splinters of mortar shells and died on way to hospital.
The deceased were identified as Sahil Kumar, 25 and 50-year-old Bachno Devi.
Manhas said 16 other civilians were also injured in cross-border firing and shelling.
He said the injured were evacuated to hospital in bullet proof vehicles.
Manhas said the administration has kept the lodgement centres in ready mode. “People willing to migrate to safer places would be kept there, where they would be provided free meals”.
He said the administration has sounded alert and advised the border residents to be cautious and shift to safer places.
Another official said eight civilians were injured in Pakistani troops firing in Hira Nagar sector of Kathua district.
He said the injured have been hospitalised.
The official said six camps have been established in the district headquarters to border residents in Hira Nagar sector, who may migrate in view of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani troops.