Biggest truce violation in recent years along LoC

Indian troops foil infiltration attempts by Pakistan

In one of the biggest ceasefire violations in recent years, Pakistani troops targeted Indian forward outposts and civilian areas along the border in Jammu and Kashmir more than two dozen times in the last 24 hours.

Indian troops retaliated with heavy fire and foiled multiple infiltration attempts. Reports said one militant was killed in the firing.

Official sources said the Pakistani troops fired on border outposts (BoPs) in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts throughout Thursday night and Friday.

“The Pakistani troops continued firing on forward Kharkota, Kharkal, AMK, Mangral in the R S Pura sub-sector, Regal and Rajpora in the Samba sector and Nikowal border outposts,” they said.

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, Gagan Thakur and Hasda, were hit by bullets when the Pakistani troops pounded Nikowal BoP, sources added.
The injured BSF personnel have been shifted to Government Medical College hospital, Jammu.

Sources said Pakistani troops fired 82 mm mortars which landed on civilian areas in R S Pura, triggering panic among the residents.

Pakistan Rangers also fired heavily on BoPs in the Ghagwal and Hiranagar sub-sectors of Kathua district and Nikowal and Gharana posts in Ranbir Singh Pura and Pargwal
sector in Akhnoor in Jammu district.

Reports said while the firing was on in the Pargwal area, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who  was addressing a rally nearby, asked the authorities
to gear up for any eventuality and draw up a contingency plan to deal with the border
firing.