Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: BSF constable Gurnam Singh, who was seriously injured in sniper shot by Pakistan at Bobiya area in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district yesterday morning, succumbed to his injuries late tonight in the Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
Official sources said Gurnam Singh, who had sustained bullet injury in his head, died in the GMC Jammu late tonight. His family members had been asking for his shifting outside the State but the BSF had said earlier that though it was ready to extend ever support to the family, they would go by the advice of doctors.
Gurnam’s sister, Gurjeet Kour and brother Mandeep Singh had been in prayers during the day along with other family members, relatives and villagers of RS Pura for his recovery.
Gurnam hailed from village Bhalesar Magowali in RS Pura sector.
It may be mentioned here that after sniper shot was fired at Gurnam Singh, BSF had retaliated killing seven Pakistani Rangers and a terrorist.
Earlier during the day, scores of border dwellers in R S Pura and Arnia belts visited the house of Gurnam and prayed for his long life. Across Jammu region people held prayers for the early recovery of the brave son of the soil.
The villagers said that BSF was Gurnam’s passion and he always wanted to join the force and guard the borders.
Meanwhile, as he sits near the carcasses of his cattle, an inconsolable 60-year-old Krishan Lal says he doesn’t know how he will survive after losing his “earning sons” in the heavy firing by Pakistani troops in R S Pura sector last night.
“For you these are only animals, but for me they were like earning sons. I used to sell their milk for my livelihood. This is the biggest loss of my life,” said Lal in his Korotana Khurd border village in RS Pura sector.
Lal, a farmer by profession, lost three buffaloes and a cow after a mortar shell fired by the Pakistani Rangers late last night exploded near his cowshed.
The Pakistani Rangers resorted to heavy ceasefire violation in the RS Pura sector following BSF’s claim that it had killed seven Pakistani Rangers and a terrorist in retaliatory firing in Kathua sector after a BSF jawan was seriously injured in a sniper attack from across the border.
Meanwhile, villagers like Lal have to face the brunt of ceasefire violations with Pakistan. They say that in the past too they have lost several heads of cattle to the cross border firing.
“Farm yield comes once or twice a year, but the milk from these cattle sustains our livelihood by providing a regular monthly income to us. We are poor people and rely on these animals,” a sobbing Lal said.
“A large number of cattle in our village get killed or injured whenever there is a ceasefire violation. During the firing from across the border, the villagers take shelter in bunkers, but the cattle are vulnerable to such attacks,” Kulbir Singh, another border resident, said.
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