Jammu: Panic gripped the border village when Pakistan today resorts to heavy shelling along International Border in Arnia sector. As per reports, six persons, including a woman and a special police officer (SPO), were injured today in mortar shells which hit Arnia town and a police station.
BSF troops guarding the border retaliated and the heavy exchange of fire between the two sides was going on when last reports came in. The heavy firing triggering panic among locals who have started fleeing their homes, they said. The intense Pakistani shelling started a day after it “pleaded” with the BSF to stop firing, after being pounded with heavy artillery that left a trooper dead across the border.
Last night, Pakistani troops fired small arms and mortars, targeting Narayanpur area of Ramgarh sector in Samba district. The BSF yesterday released a 19-second thermal-imagery footage, showing the destruction of a Pakistani picket across the border, in retaliation to the unprovoked firing and shelling along the IB.
The BSF has lost two of its jawans in the latest round of unprovoked firing along the IB in Jammu region since May 15. Four civilians were killed and 11 others injured on Friday in the Jammu area due to the firing. The state has witnessed a spurt in Pakistani shelling and firing along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) this year. Over 700 such incidents have been reported this year, which have left 38 people, including 18 security personnel, dead and scores injured.