Pakistani rangers continue to provoke strong retaliation from the Indian border guards by continuously targeting forward BSF posts and large number of civilian pockets across Jammu frontier. Hours after pleading ceasefire on Sunday morning Pakistan Rangers were at it again late in the evening as they targeted new fronts along Ramgarh sector with mortar shelling.

In the wee hours Pakistan Rangers started hitting Arnia town and during day break firing intensified with every passing hour.

In the day long incidents of ceasefire violations across Jammu frontier at least seven local villagers including a policeman was injured in mortar shelling and continuous firing.

A police station in the border area was also targeted by the Pakistani rangers using mortar shells.

No one was injured in the blast inside police station complex as majority of policemen were helping local villagers and escorting women and children to safety in bullet proof vehicles. Due to rush of villagers local police authorities had to struggle alot to accommodate large rush of villagers in the absence of more mobile bunkers. Senior district authorities claimed they had stationed one mobile bunker each under different police stations in the area. The senior authorities claimed we had escalated the issue before the State Government even in December 2017 to deploy adequate number of mobile bunkers and ambulances in worst affected areas along the International border but so far no fresh purchase has been done to meet the demand.

Meanwhile,sensing more trouble for border residents in the wake of continuous exchange of heavy volume fire the local BSF commanders have also directed the villagers living in the direct line of firing, up to 3 km radius from the International boundary,to shift to safer places.

Meanwhile Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufi herself visited border areas of RS Pura on Monday and condoled with the families whose kin were killed in cross border shelling at Arnia and RS Pura during past few days.

Interacting with the people there, the Chief Minister described the killings as highly unfortunate adding these occurred when the holy month of Ramzan had just begun and people had heaved sigh of relief due to the Centre’s welcome step of halting security operations in the State.

Mehbooba Mufti said the people of the State, who have gone through very tough times in the past, want to live a peaceful life free from violence and killings. She said the Centre’s move of halting security operations has generated a hope among people who expect positive reciprocation to it by all stakeholders to let people of the State come out of the zero-sum game of killings and uncertainty.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister disbursed cash assistance of Rs One lakh each among the families whose kin were killed in the cross-border shelling of past few days. She also directed the Jammu Divisional administration to prepare a report of the damages suffered to houses and dwelling units during the border shelling.

Deputy Chief Minister, Kavinder Gupta, Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Shyam Choudhary,MLA, Gagan Bhagat, Vice Chairman SC Board, Bhushan Dogra; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Hemant Sharma; IGP, Jammu zone, Dr SDS Jamwal and officers of Divisional and District administration were present on the occasion.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Tuesday, 22 May 2018 | Mohit Kandhari | RS Pura, International Border