Last Updated on October 27, 2023 at 12:01 pm
Panic has gripped the border villages of the Jammu district where Pakistan Rangers lobbed mortars in the civilian areas and used heavy machine guns to target Indian positions last night. Several residents of border villages have fled to safe places.
A BSF jawan and a woman in the Arnia sector were injured in the firing.
The Border Security Force (BSF) remains vigilant and was monitoring the developments closely while assessing the situation and was maintaining alertness to respond as necessary to ensure the safety and security of the border and its residents, said a BSF spokesman on Friday.
The Basmati paddy growers in the Arnia and Ranbirsinghpura sectors were the worst sufferers as the farm labourers out of fear have fled the border areas while the crop was ready for being harvested.
Giving details, a BSF spokesman said that on the evening of October 26 at about 8pm, Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing along the Indo-Pak International Border in Sector Jammu. In response, BSF troops immediately retaliated to the firing. Subsequently, Pak Rangers extended their firing to target the adjacent Border Observation Posts (BOPs), prompting retaliation from the Forward Defence Posts in these areas in a befitting manner.
At approximately 9.15pm, Pak Rangers started mortar firing targeting Border outposts and civilian areas. Some of shells landed in Arnia town, resulting in minor injuries to one civilian woman Rajni Devi.
Around 10.40pm, Pak Rangers used heavy machine gun fire from and targeted our Posts, which was again retaliated by own troops in a befitting manner, the spokesman said.
At midnight, Pak Rangers again fired at and targeted our BOPs, leading to an exchange of fire and adequately retaliated by own troops. Firing continued until 2.45am today.
During the cross-border fire, Constable Basava Raj sustained minor splinter injuries due to shelling in both hands at about 10 pm. The injured jawan was promptly evacuated to primary health centre at Arnia and later admitted to the medical college hospital, Jammu. His condition is stable.
Damage to material is still being ascertained, the spokesman added.
