Pak violates ceasefire twice; fires at BoPs in Samba, Jammu

In yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistan today again resorted to firing on Border Out Posts (BoPs) along the International Border (IB) in the Samba and Jammu districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan Rangers resorted to small-arms firing at a few BoPs along IB in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors at 0100 hours and 0400 hours today," a BSF spokesman said here.

The BSF troops guarding the border retaliated to the action by Pakistan, he said, adding that "there was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing". While Ramgarh is in Samba district, Arnia is in Jammu.

This is third ceasefire violation since yesterday when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing on the Narianpur BoP in Ramgarh sector at around 2030 hours.

The ceasefire violation yesterday came 72 hours after the last instance of firing from across the border by the neighbouring country's troops on the night of Oct. 19 in the Pargwal sector of Jammu district.

Pakistani troops had also violated the ceasefire on October 18 and 17 by resorting to firing on BoPs in the Makwal and Allah mahi Da Kothay (AMK) areas of Jammu district.

Before that, the ceasefire was violated twice on Oct. 17 along the Line of Control (LoC) in Hamirpur sector of Poonch district. Ceasefire violations also took place on Oct. 16 night.

In firing from across the LoC in the Saujian-Kirni-Shahpur belts of Poonch on Oct. 15, a seven-year-old boy, Riyaz of Kuiyian Gotirian village, was injured.

One Ramesh Chander of Arnia town in Jammu district, who was admitted to hospital after sustaining injuries during shelling by Pakistan on Oct. 6, succumbed on Tuesday, thereby taking the toll to 10 in the firing by Pakistan from across the IB and LoC in Jammu region since Oct. 1.

Ceasefire violations by the neighbouring country since the beginning of this month have also left over 95 injured, including 13 security personnel. Around 30,000 people have fled their homes to avoid the shelling, leaving 113 hamlets deserted in the border areas.