Jammu: The intermittent firing between the Pakistani Rangers and BSF along the International Border in the Arnia and RS Pura sectors of the Jammu district came to an end early Friday (October 27) morning after which the families which had fled overnight due to yet another unprovoked firing from other side of the border started returning to their homes, officials said. A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan and a civilian sustained injuries in the cross-border firing that targeted five Indian posts along the IB on Thursday night.
The BSF had retaliated with iron fist last night to the Pakistani provocation which was a second such incident of its kind within 10 days. Pakistan had last violated the ceasefire on October 17.
"The firing has stopped (from across the border). There is calm now. The intermittent exchange of fire between the two sides continued till 3 am", a senior BSF officer said.
According to the official, two BSF personnel and a woman were injured in the Pakistani firing and have been hospitalised. One jawan was shifted to the GMC Hospital in Jammu. The BSF personnel who were injured were identified as Basavraj SR and Sher Singh while the injured woman was identified as Rajni Bala of Arnia.
Details of Thursday night firing
Pakistan Rangers had fired 82 and 120 mm mortar shells and used heavy machines guns, which triggered fear among the border locals.
Several people in Arnia, Treva, Suchetgarh and Jabowal, primarily migrant labourers had fled from the border areas when the firing started. Several families had to take shelter in bunkers, temples and other safe areas.
The BSF on Friday said the unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers along the International Border in Jammu targeting Indian posts and civilian areas continued for close to seven hours.
In an official statement, the BSF said the Pakistan Rangers fired mortars and used heavy machine guns, leading to two non-fatal casualties.
The force said the Pakistani firing continued for close to seven hours, starting around 8 pm on Thursday and extending up to 2:45 am on Friday. "BSF continues to monitor the developments closely while assessing the situation and remains alert to respond as necessary to ensure the safety and security of the border and its residents," the force said.
At approximately 9:15 pm on Thursday, Pakistan Rangers started mortar firing targeting border outposts and civilian areas, the BSF said, adding some of the shells landed in Arnia town, resulting in minor injuries to a civilian.
"Around 10:40 pm on Thursday, Pakistan Rangers used heavy machine gun fire and targeted our posts. Around 1 am the Rangers again fired and targeted BSF posts, leading to an exchange of fire," the statement said.
People’s accounts
The people residing in the border villages said that they saw such intense magnitude of firing and shelling after many years.
"We were eating food when the firing began. We left the food and ran along with our families," Joginder Kumar, a labourer from Bihar, said.
Kumar said that he along with 51 others, which also included women and children, took shelter in a temple in Arnia due to shelling in the forward village. He said that they were terrified.
"We had heard about it (firing). Now we have seen it", he said.
In a forward hamlet where a mortar shell hit a house, Ekta Devi said that all glass windows at her residence broke due to firing and shelling.
“By God's grace, we were saved. There was a lot of firing till this morning. All glass windows broke,” she said.
Another villager Rakesh Kumar, who along with several villagers had taken shelter in a bunker in forward village, said they are now returning to their village and emphasised that the Pakistanis cannot be trusted.
"There was intense firing and shelling after many years. There was peace for the past two years. Pakistan cannot be trusted", he said.
Several videos of people fleeing their dwellings went viral on social media after the firing started.
In Arnia, several guests fled from a wedding ceremony when the firing started.
“We continued with the marriage. Most of the people left after the firing started,” Kuldeep, a relative of the bridegroom said.
This is the second ceasefire violation in October.
On October 17, two BSF jawans were injured in firing by Pakistan Rangers at the Vikram post along the IB in Arnia sector.
India and Pakistan had signed a ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021, in which both nations agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors.
(With PTI inputs)
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