*Two major infiltration bids foiled in Poonch, RS Pura
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 16: After targeting civilians in Pargwal and Kanachak areas along the International Border (IB), Pakistan Rangers and Army last night opened new fronts in RS Pura sector along the IB and Shahpur near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district using mortars and heavy fire arms injuring four civilians working in the fields, damaging over two dozen houses and sending fresh wave of fear among the border dwellers, a large number of whom left their houses in forward areas of RS Pura tonight for safer places.
In the process, Army and BSF thwarted two infiltration attempts by the militants in Shahpur and RS Pura, each by a group of three to four militants, forcing them to retreat. Pakistan Army and Rangers had tried to push the militants into the Indian territory under the cover of mortar shelling and firing. Five BSF posts and 18 forward villages in RS Pura and three villages in Shahpur on the LoC came under intense shelling overnight.
As Army and BSF gave befitting reply to shelling, Pakistan media claimed that four Pakistani civilians were killed and eight others injured at Chaprar in Sialkot sector opposite RS Pura and Arnia last night.
Pakistan media quoting the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman identified four civilians killed in the firing on their side as Ghulam Mustafa, Rahat, Muhammad Boota and Zarina Bibi, all residents of Chaprar, a forward village on the IB in Sialkot sector. Yesterday, a woman was killed and five others including three civilians and two BSF jawans were injured in Pakistani shelling at Pargwal and Kanachak.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Rangers resorted to heavy mortar shelling and firing directly targeting 18 forward hamlets in RS Pura sector and five Border Out Posts (BOPs) of the BSF at 1.40 am. Simultaneously, Pakistan Army at the same time started shelling three forward villages of Shahpur, Qasba and Gountri in Shahpur areas along the LoC in Poonch sector. The BSF and Army along the IB and LoC respectively retaliated and gave befitting response to the Rangers and Pakistan Army.
On the IB, there was heavy shelling from 1.45 am to 5.30 am. After a brief lull, Pakistan resumed shelling at 7.05 am and continued till 8.15 am. There was no firing or shelling during the day. On LoC at Shahpur, Pakistan Army used mortar shells and resorted to heavy firing from 1.45 am to 5 am and then again from 7.15 am to 9 am. The LoC too remained calm during the day.
Sources said at both the places, Pakistan Rangers and Army tried to infiltrate two groups of militants, each numbering between three to four under the cover of mortar shelling and firing, but alert troops and BSF foiled the intrusions bids. The militants, who were trying to infiltrate with heavy weaponry with a view to carry out terror attacks on this side, retreated following effective retaliatory firing brought down by the troops. This was new modus operandi adopted by Pakistan Army to push militants under cover of shelling and firing. During previous infiltration attempts this month on the LoC by the militants, there was no firing from Pakistani troops.
Apart from five BSF posts, Pakistan pounded 18 forward villages in RS Pura sector with heavy mortar shelling. The villages included Raipur Sazdan, Barsalpur, Bera, Bega, Choga, Gopur Basti, Shamka, Tonkanwali, Laiyan, Chandu Chak, Abdullian, Bidhipur Jattan, Korotana Khurd, Nai Basti, Avtal, Sheikhuchak, Suchetgarh, Gulabgarh Basti, Nikowal and Sei.
As initial round of shelling on the IB had stopped at 5.30 am, the civilians and labourers turned out in the fields for sowing paddy. It was at about 7 am that the Rangers again started shelling in RS Pura directly targeting the villagers working in the fields and their houses.
Four civilians working at village Barsalpur were hit after mortar shell exploded in their field. They have been identified as Balwinder Singh, 45, son of Chuni Lal R/o Barsalpur, Roop Lal, 52, son of Amarnath R/o Rangpur Malana, Sandev Kumar, 20, son of Bhagat Rishidev and Barinder Kumar, 35, son of Bhujang Mukhia, both residents of Bhawanipur, Bihar, presently putting up at Baspur and working as labourers in the fields during paddy season.
Three injured have been admitted in the Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu while Barinder Kumar was admitted in local hospital at RS Pura. Condition of all of them was stated to be stable.
The civilians immediately took shelter in the houses and bunkers following fresh shelling at 7 am from Pakistan side. As firing ceased at around 8 am in entire RS Pura sector, the police teams headed by SHO RS Pura Inspector Bushan Manhas visited the forward villages and along with people detected half a dozen live mortar shells lying at Baaspur, Bidhipur and Raipur Sazdan. The Bomb Disposal Squads of Army and BSF defused the mortar shells.
Like Kanachak and Pargwal, authorities have kept Government schools and other official buildings ready for the people to accommodate them in case of migration. However, a large number of people from border villages of RS Pura deserted their houses tonight and left for the houses of their relatives instead of the Government buildings. However, majority of people remained confined to the houses during the day and didn’t venture out despite the fact that it was the main sowing season in the Monsoon.
Over two dozen houses in different villages of RS Pura were damaged in shelling and firing by the Rangers, sources said.
However, barring RS Pura all other sectors on the International Border remained calm overnight. Kanachak and Pargwal sub sectors, which witnesses shelling and firing yesterday were also peaceful.
On the LoC, Pakistan started heavy shelling and firing in Shahpur area targeting Shahpur, Qasba and Gountri villages. A mortar shell fell inside the house of Safeer Hussain son of Gul Hussain at Qasba, causing extensive damage to the house.
Troops retaliated on the LoC. An infiltration attempt by the militants was foiled.
Top BSF officers visited the IB in RS Pura sector and other places and boosted morale of the jawans. There were no casualties on the BSF side during the firing overnight, sources said, adding the BSF gave adequate response to the firing.
Meanwhile, Northern Army Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda has said that the Indian troops will respond firmly and effectively to Pakistani provocations as they feel fit and where they deem fit. He noted that the number of border ceasefire violations have increased over the last two weeks.
“The response has to be firm,” he told a news agency while commenting on the Pakistani firing and ceasefire violations along the IB and LoC.
“We have seen over last two weeks or so that the number of incidents have increased,” said Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Hooda said.
Asked about instructions to the troops, he said “they will carry out firm response and retaliate effectively as they feel fit where they deemed fit. Nobody has to look over the shoulder to higher headquarter that this is what I need I need to do.”
On the issue of the ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Lt Gen Hooda said “the scene was largely peaceful (environment) along the borders in 2014 and 2013. But we have seen over last two weeks or so, the number of incidents has increased.”
He said the incidents have taken place in Nougam sector where two BSF men lost their lives in two incidents.
“Now we are seeing that it has again started since yesterday along IB and LoC sectors today. There are increasing incidents that are taking place,” he added.
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