Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: Few hours after the visit of Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah apart from top brass of BSF and security agencies in Samba and Hiranagar sectors, Pakistani Rangers tonight resorted to heavy shelling and firing in entire R S Pura, Ramgarh and Arnia sectors and parts of Pargwal, Akhnoor and Kanachak sectors killing a BSF jawan and injuring three others at Chenaz post in Arnia sector leading to migration from two villages of Ramgarh and panic in forward areas of other sectors.
Three mortar shells fell in Arnia town at 9 pm and exploded with big bangs, spreading panic in the entire area.
On the Line of Control (LoC) also, Pakistan Army resorted to heavy shelling and firing at Balakote, Mankote, Mendhar and Bhimber Gali sectors in Poonch district during the day.
Official sources told the Excelsior that a mortar shell fired by the Pakistan Rangers fell at Chenaz post of 193 BSF in Arnia sector at 11.30 pm tonight killing a BSF jawan and injuring three others seriously.
The martyr jawan has been identified as M L Meena from Rajasthan while the injured included Ashok Kumar, Surinder Kumar and Pradeep.
Body of the martyred jawan has been shifted to RS Pura hospital while three injured jawans were evacuated to Government Medical College Jammu in serious condition.
The BSF retaliated very effectively. Reports said Pakistan suffered heavy damages in retaliatory firing of the BSF.
People from Jasso Chak and SM Pur villages in Ramgarh sector again fled from their houses during the firing and took shelter at Avtaal community hall. A day before the people of these two villages had taken shelter at Radha Swami Satsang Ghar in Ramgarh.
Sources said Pakistan Rangers started pounding almost all forward areas of Arnia and Ramgarh sectors including Pindi, Changiya, Pittal and Arnia town in Arnia, Chamblayal, Kandral, SM Pur, Jasso Chak, Narayanpur, Fatwal and Bamu Chak in Ramgarh sector tonight.
Shelling started in Arnia sector at 8.15 pm and Ramgarh sector at 9.30 pm.
In R S Pura sector, the Rangers fired at Abdullian, Korotana, Suchetgarh, Sangral and Mangral posts at 11 pm, which continued till midnight tonigh.
The BSF jawans gave an effective retaliation to the shelling and firing, which was going on when the reports last came in.
The Rangers also started firing at forward areas of Pargwal, Akhnoor and Kanachak sectors at 10.50 pm, leading to heavy exchanges after the BSF retaliated.
Sidharwan and Garkhal areas of Akhnoor sectors were targeted by the Rangers in the firing while Sohan, Beli Azmat, Gol Pattan and Kanachak-New and Old were shelled in Kanachak sector, sources said.
There was panic among the people of forward villages everywhere with people confining them indoors and switching off lights of their houses despite Karva Chouth festival.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan Army fired mortars shells and resorted to firing at parts of Balakote, Mankote, Mendhar and Bhimber Gali sectors. Army gave an effective retaliation.
The shelling and firing that started around 10.15 am continued for about one and a half hours. No damage was reported on the Indian side.
PTI adds from New Delhi:
With no let up in ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC and the International Border, the Indian Director General of Military Operation (DGMO) today spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and is understood to have conveyed India’s strong concerns over it.
As per the existing arrangement between the two countries, their DGMOs talk over hotline every Tuesday to discuss issues on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border.
“Our DGMO called up his Pakistani counterpart and discussed the issue of ceasefire violations,” an Army official said here, adding New Delhi’s concerns were made known to them.
136 ceasefire violations have been reported so far this year, the highest in the past eight years. Even yesterday, Pakistani Rangers opened fire at 10 border posts.
Since January this year, there has been tension between the two sides on the LoC after the beheading of two Indian soldiers by the Pakistan Army and terrorists supported by it.
The tensions flared up again after the killing of five Indian soldiers inside Indian territory in August this year.
The DGMO-level meeting proposed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s talks with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in the US is also likely to be put on hold in view of the escalating ceasefire violations.
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