Ceasefire violations escalate: India retaliates heavily, reject talks until firing from Pakistan stops
Jammu: Ceasefire violations escalated on Tuesday night with Pakistani troops targeting over 60 Border Out Posts and 25 border hamlets with heavy mortar shells in Jammu sector.
Two people were killed in the shelling in Jaladi village in Samba while 20 people, including three BSF personnel, were injured, a BSF spokespersons said on Wednesday.
Reportedly, Indian forces have been asked to retaliate heavily to firing from Pakistan and reject talks until all firing stops along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Extending the ceasefire violations to new areas, Pakistan Rangers shelled border outposts (BoPs) and villages in Samba and Kathua along with Jammu during the night and the firing was continuing till Wednesday morning.
Military officials of India and Pakistan discussed on the hotline the cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir but there were no signs of a solution.
A man shows mortar shell marks on the walls of a shop after firing from the Pakistani side at Arnia sector in Jammu (Photo: PTI)
So far seven persons have been killed and nearly 70 injured in the escalation since October 1 with over 16,000 people migrating to safer areas in these districts.
"Pakistani Rangers again resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and heavy firing on BSF posts all along International Border (IB) since 2000 hours last night," the spokesman said.
"As many as 50 BSF BoPs were affected by the fire from Pakistan side," he said, adding that firing and shelling targeted areas along IB in Arnia, R S Pura, Kanachak and Pargwal sub-sectors along IB in Jammu and Samba districts.
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Giving further details, he said almost all the BSF posts in Samba, Hiranagar belt of Kathua district were targeted by Pakistan Rangers.
The firing in some area of Arnia was still going on this morning, the spokesman said.
"BSF troops at all the places gave a strong and befitting reply to firing from Pakistan," the spokesman said.
Along the Line of Control (LoC), the firing stopped late in the night in Mendhar and Poonch sectors after Indian forces retaliated.
A villager shows the damaged wall of his house after firing from the Pakistani side at Arnia sector in Jammu (Photo: PTI)
There has been heavy firing and mortar shelling over 25 to 27 border hamlets in forward areas of Jammu district since last night, District Magistrate Jammu Ajeet Kumar Sahu said.
He said nine people have been injured in Jammu border areas. "Several cattle too have perished in the firing and over a dozen injured," he said.
Over 15,000 people have migrated from border hamlets along IB in Jammu to safer places due to the firing and shelling, the DM said, adding that relief camps have been set up for them.
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Sub-Divisional Police officer (SDPO), R S Pura, Devender Singh said that six people were injured in Jora Farm in shelling early today along with 3 BSF jawans.
In Samba and Kathua districts, over 10 to 15 border villages have been targeted by Pakistani Rangers, officials said.
Women and children residing near the border leave their homes on a tractor as they move to safer areas after firing from the Pakistani side at Arnia sector in Jammu (Photo: PTI)
Over 1500 to 2000 people have also migrated from forward villages along IB in Samba and Kathua districts.
Along LoC, the firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in Balnoie, Mankote, Mendhar, Bhimbher Gali, Balakote and Poonch forward areas ended last night, Army officials said.
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A Junion Commissioned Officer (JCO) Subash Singh was among three army men injured in Sabjian belt of Poonch sector.
There have been over two dozen ceasefire violations along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir since October one. A total of 14 people including 4 security personal were injured in Pak firing and shelling on Tuesday.
Read: Pakistan to open new front along Line of Control
On Monday, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to heavy firing and shelling in Arnia belt along IB in Jammu in which 5 people were killed and 34 others were injured.
On October 3, Pakistani troops and rangers violated ceasefire in Gulamarg sector of Kashmir Valley and in Poonch and Jammu sectors in which a girl was killed and six persons were injured.
Hiranagar (J&K): Villagers forced to migrate due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan pic.twitter.com/Y6DZVtHRqc
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 8, 2014RS Pura Sector (J&K): Ceasefire violation, Civilians injured in firing by Pakistan pic.twitter.com/QhXh7jDtrJ
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 8, 2014