JAMMU: At least three Indian soldiers were injured critically on Wednesday after the Pakistan army opened heavy fire and shot mortars on Indian posts and forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, south of Pir Panjal range.
The injured soldiers have been identified as Naik Ripal MPA, Sepoy Kiyaka Zhmiou and Lance Naik Lithanthung of 2 Naga Regiment. The Indian army retaliated in equal measure. “A day after killing an Indian soldier in sniper fire, the Pakistan army on Wednesday resorted to heavy fire on Indian posts and forward villages along the LoC in Degwar and Gulpur areas of Balakote sector in Poonch and in Kalsian of Nowshera sector in Rajouri district,” said a police officer. The injured soldiers were evacuated to a garrison hospital in Poonch, he added. The latest ceasefire violation was the fifth in the past 12 hours. “On Wednesday, the Pakistan army opened fire with automatic weapons at 5:30 am in Degwar and Gulpur areas for some time and then the guns fell silent. But at around 8:30 am, the Pakistan army opened heavy fire and heavy exchanges between the two sides lasted till 12:30 pm,” said the officer. In the neighbouring Rajouri district, the Pakistan army shot around 12 mortars at Kalsian in Nowshera sector prompting India to retaliate in equal measure. “There were no adverse reports from Kalsian but over 4,000 villagers continue to put up in six relief camps set up at Nowshera town since May this year. They fled their homes in first week of May following heavy shelling by Pakistan,” he said.
All the government and private schools remained closed on Wednesday as well in Degwar and Gulpur areas as a precautionary measure.
On Tuesday, the Pakistan army had killed an Indian soldier Naik Mahendra Chemjung of Nepal in a sniper fire in Poonch and on October 2, the Pakstan army had fired two sniper shots at Indian post which hit the Border Security Force (BSF) constable S Ramachari on his right forearm and also brushed his abdomen in Rajouri district.
The same day in the morning, the Pakistan army had killed two minor children and injured 12 villagers when it rained mortars on Indian villages along the LoC in Poonch. Baffled by Indian army’s “operation all out”, Pakistan has upped the ante against India and has been resorting to intense firing and shelling on the borders. The rogue country is also adopting all ploys in the form of transborder tunnels, terror attacks, sniper fire and attacks by border action teams, said an army officer. BORDER VILLAGERS FLAG THEIR GRIEVANCES TO POLICE JAMMU: Keeping in view the continual ceasefire violations by Pakistan due to which the people of border areas had to be shifted to safer places, the Samba police on Wednesday held a meeting with the villagers and heard their grievances to streamline their evacuation at the time of contingency. A number of people of Samba border sector besides the sarpanches of the panchayats of Halqa Mawa, Katholi, Rajpura, Kangwala Paloora, Glhar, Supwal, Sanoora, Madhoon and Sarthian participated.
The main issues which were highlighted by the people included provision of adequate bullet proof vehicles for safe evacuation of the border people during ceasefire violations besides availability of adequate number of ambulances equipped with all life supporting system to avert causalities, issuance of gun licences to all the residents of the border belt for safeguarding themselves against the militants, provision of individual bunkers near residential houses (community wise) to rule out intercommunity clashes, provision of dependable vehicles to the Rajpura police post for quick response and arrangements for round-theclock power supply.
Fidayeen determined, can’t stop attacks in J&K: BSF
SRINAGAR: The chief of Border Security Force (BSF) KK Sharma said Wednesday it’s difficult to stop suicide attacks in Jammu and Kashmir as the militants come “wearing shrouds” and the only way to deal with them was the troops’ alertness, a day after the paramilitary force’s camp was infiltrated near the Srinagar airport.
“The fidayeen are determined. We can’t stop their attacks.
They will always manage to come but it is the response which is important,” Sharma said after participating in the wreath-laying ceremony for assistant sub-inspector of BSF BK Yadav in Humhama.
Yadav died fighting one of the three militants who entered the highly fortified 182 battalion camp near the Srinagar airport early on Tuesday.
All three were killed in the gunfight that lasted for hours.
Three others security personnel also sustained injuries in the attack, claimed by the Pakistanbased outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which is blamed for similar strikes at Indian security bases including at Uri in September 2016 that killed 19 soldiers.
The paramilitary force’s chief, without naming Pakistan, said attacks would continue until people across the border don’t stop. “So long our friendly neighbour does not behave, I think we will expect we will have many more (such attacks),” Sharma said.
He added that the response of BSF was “highly professional” and the moment the militants entered they were “spotted and challenged, and were neutralised” without causing any collateral damage or “much harm”. “You are aware of the number of fidayeen attacks in the past and the damage they have caused. In comparison, the BSF has acquitted itself very well, and I am proud of the boys,” he said.
Sharma said that two of the three militants were wearing Central Reserve Police Force battle uniform while the third was wearing a Pathani kurta.
“We think that the fidayeen were targeting the weapons of the quarter guard but an alert quarter guard detected the terrorists and he challenged them,” he said.
Sharma said “this timely detection” prevented a major catastrophe. He said the three militants dispersed and one went towards the canteen where he was immediately killed. Of the remaining, while one entered the subordinate officers’ mess, another barged into the administrative block.
Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh said such attacks were “proxy war” and state and Centre were fighting this “demon”.
AFP FILE
