Pak shells border posts, hamlets; BSF jawans among 7 injured

Jammu: Pakistani troops targeted Indian border outposts and hamlets in Jammu, Samba and Poonch districts in overnight firing and shelling, injuring two BSF jawans and five civilians, officials said today.

Continuous violations of the ceasefire by Pakistan along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) have forced hundreds of border residents to flee their homes.

Pakistan troops engaged in heavy firing and mortar shelling on villages and border outposts in Arnia, R S Pura and Ramgarh sectors along the IB in Jammu and Samba districts since last evening, the officials said.

They targeted over 20 villages. Three civilians in Satowali village of R S Pura sector were injured in Pakistani shelling and had to be hospitalised, they said, adding that another villager was injured in Treva in Arnia sector.

In Ramgarh sector in Samba, two BSF jawans suffered minor injuries in Pakistani firing, the officials said. Pakistan also engaged in heavy firing and shelling in Poonch sector along the LoC last evening. An eight-year-old boy was injured in the firing, they said.

Over 500 people were evacuated by the police from a few border hamlets targeted by Pakistani troops last night, they said. The villagers have been housed in a camp.

Over 20,000 people have also fled their homes and hearths in Arnia and R S Pura sectors in the past few days, the officials said.

There have been continuous firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB and the LoC between September 13 and September 18.

Firing and shelling resumed on September 21 after a two- day lull. A BSF jawan and a civilian were killed and 25 others including five BSF personnel were injured in the shelling and firing by Pakistani troops during the period.

Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. Till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures by the Indian Army.