A teenage girl and a BSF jawan were killed while six others were injured as Pakistan Rangers heavily shelled border out-posts and villages along the international border (IB) in three sectors of Jammu and Samba districts, a BSF officer said on Thursday, 18 January.
"BSF troops are giving a befitting reply," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Jammu, Arun Manhas, said.
The Pakistan Rangers opened fire and shelled areas along the IB in RS Pura, Arnia and Ramgarh sectors at 9 pm on 17 January.
They targeted over a dozen border out-posts (BoPs) in three sectors throughout the night, he said, adding that BSF troops gave a befitting reply by carrying out effective retaliation. Shells fired by Pakistan landed in Arnia belt and hit several villages as well.
A police officer said Pakistani troops targeted over 20 hamlets along the IB.
The firing and shelling continued till 0645 hours and was going on intermittently when the reports last came in, they said.
In the shelling, a BSF jawan and a 17-year-old girl were killed, while five civilians and another BSF jawan were injured and have been hospitalised.
The slain jawan has been identified as Head Constable A Suresh of 78 battalion of the BSF. He belonged to Tamil Nadu. The deceased girl has been identified as Neelam Devi.
The district administration has asked all its officers to remain in a state of highest preparedness in view of continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistan.BSF official
However, the villagers have not been evacuated so far, the BSF official said.
Following the attack, a wreath laying ceremony for A Suresh was performed by BSF officials.
KK Sharma, Deputy General of the BSF, said that the attack could have been carried out to give cover to infiltrators. But the security force’s swift retaliation made sure that no such incident takes place, he added.
We retaliated effectively which led to damage on that (Pakistan) side. BSF never starts it but when they do, we make sure we take strong action. Martyrdom of Head Constable A Suresh will not go in vain. The place where they engaged us has a stream nearby, there could have been a possibility of infiltration, but our troops made sure that no such incident takes place.KK Sharma, DG BSF
Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh, being a former army-man himself, also reacted to the incident. Singh said that he wants 10 Pakistani soldiers dead for the loss of every Indian soldier.
If one of our jawans dies, 10 of their’s must die, that is how I look at life.Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab
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