Barely five days after an understanding was reached between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of two neighbouring countries to honour the “ceasefire” agreement of November 2003 in “letter and spirit”, two BSF men were martyred while 11 others, including a policeman, received injuries in a fresh offensive by belligerent Pakistan along the International Border across Akhnoor sector of Jammu frontier in the wee hours of Sunday.

At least 10 BSF posts and over two dozen Indian villages were hit by the intense shelling from the Pakistani side. Several mortar shells hit residential houses and caused extensive damage to the property and livestock. In retaliation, jawans of the BSF gave a “befitting” reply to the “unprovoked” mortar shelling and heavy firing from the Pakistani side.

Unconfirmed reports claimed the Pakistani side too suffered heavy damage in the exchange of shelling.

Panic-stricken residents in the area fled their homes and took shelter at safer places. Local police authorities had deployed mobile bunker vans to evacuate stranded border residents in the area.

Eyewitness reports from ground zero claimed that the Pakistan Rangers were possibly aided by Pakistan Army regulars as heavy artillery firing was reported in the area.

The blasts were audible even in several residential colonies in Jammu city. A high alert has been sounded across border villages of RS Pura, Samba and Hiranagar sectors.

Inspector General of BSF, Jammu Frontier, Ram Awtar, said, “The BSF is observing ceasefire agreement but the Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing by targeting forward duty points along the International Border in Pargwal area around 1.15 am on Sunday.”

The IG said two BSF troopers, including ASI Satya Narayan Yadav and constable Vijay Kumar Pandey, sustained critical injuries, and later succumbed in hospital.

Constable Pandey hailed from Fatehpur district and ASI Yadav from Devaria district of UP.

Senior BSF, police, CRPF and Army officers attended the wreath-laying ceremony along with J&K Power Minister Sunil Sharma, BJP MLA Bali Bhagat and the Jammu Divisional Commissioner.

Jammu Additional District Magistrate Arun Manhas said, “Ten civilians were nursing their injuries in Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu.”

Injured residents came from Kana Chak, Shama Chak, Jhiri and Pargwal, he said, adding that a total number of 31 villages and approximately 27,000 people were affected in Subdivisions of Marh and Khour because of the cross-border firing.

He said six lodgement /shelter cmps were kept ready for accommodating affected persons. Reacting to the reports of fresh ceasefire violation, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti told reporters in Srinagar, “It’s unfortunate that this has happened even after DGMOs held talks.

People on both sides of the border are dying. The DGMOs should hold dialogue again. This bloodshed must be brought to an end.”

Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta, along with State BJP chief Ravinder Raina, visited injured victims in the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu.

Local BJP MLA Ch Sukhnandan said, “It is high time the Central Government took stern action against Pakistan as it is becoming difficult for the border residents to sustain themselves in the wake of frequent firing incidents along the border.”

Angry border residents also demanded strong retaliation.

The injured were identified as constable Mohd Zakir, CT JP Deka (BSF), Sudhakar Singh (50), Vikram Singh (35), Pooja Devi (32), Pala Ram (52), Vishal Kumar (18), Rajinder Singh (50), Bansi Lal (40), Balvinder Singh (22) and Sulakshana Devi (25).

Official sources said so far 46 people have lost their lives during different incidents of ceasefire violations alone this year.

The dead includes 20 security personnel. Nine civilians and two BSF personnel were killed in different incidents of cross-border firing and shelling along the IB in RS Pura, Samba and Hiranagar sectors of Jammu frontier during the holy month of Ramzan.

Over 60,000 border residents were forced to migrate to safer places and take shelter inside relief centres set up by the State Government to ensure their safety and security.

It was only after the formal announcement of ceasefire was recently made that thousands of border residents had returned to their homes after a gap of almost two weeks.

Meanwhile, construction work of community bunkers and shelter homes for border residents is yet to begin on ground zero.

The Union Government had earlier sanctioned over 14,000 bunkers for border residents across Jammu province at an estimated cost of Rs 415 crores.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Monday, 04 June 2018 | Mohit Kandhari | Jammu