Soldier among 5 killed, 12 injured as Pakistan wreaks havoc along IB

4 reported dead in Indian retaliation, Pak summons Indian envoy

JAMMU: Continuing over the past four days, the cowardly Pakistan on the first Friday of holy month of Ramazan stooped to its usual low, resorting to heavy barrage of mortars on villages and border outposts along International Border in Jammu, resulting into the death of four civilians and a BSF jawan, even as 12 others sustained injuries.

Escalating border skirmishes just a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to state, Pakistani troops targeted the areas along the International Border for the fourth day on the trot, triggering fear and panic among the border residents, a large number of whom later migrated to safer places.

The Pakistan Rangers lobbed mortars and opened fire at areas in the R S Pura, Bishnah and Arnia sectors of Jammu from 0100 hours, a senior BSF officer informed, adding that BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated.

The casualties included a BSF constable, whereas four civilians including a 45-year-old woman were also killed.

The slain jawan was identified as 28-year-old Constable Sitaram Upadhyaya of the 192 Battalion. He was critically injured at the Jabowal border outpost around 0130 hours and died en route to GMC Hospital in Jammu.

“In the heavy Pakistan shelling in the R S Pura and Arnia sectors, four civilians, including a couple, were killed and 12 others injured,” Additional District Development Commissioner Arun Manhas said.
Four civilians who were killed in Pakistani firing included Tarsem Lal (52) and his wife Manjeet Kaur (45), both residents of village Chanduchak, Sat Paul (60), and Jagmohan (45).

The injured included Assistant Sub-Inspector of the BSF Des Raj from 62 battalion, Farooq Ali, Pyara Lal, Raman Kumar, Harbans Lal, Seema Devi, Ashwani Kumar, Sapna Choudhary, Waryam Das, Krishan Lal and Rajesh Kumar.

SDPO, R S Pura, Sahil Prashur said the police were using bullet-proof vehicles to evacuate the injured to hospital and was reaching out to the people in affected zones. In view of the shelling, the administration has activated the shelter set up.

However, there was a lull in the shelling in Kathua and Samba districts.

"There was no firing and shelling from across the border in Kathua and Samba districts since yesterday," the officer said.

A BSF officer said the paramilitary force targeted a Pakistan post opposite the R S Pura sector and caused huge damage to rival forces.

Inspector General of the BSF, Jammu Frontier, Ram Awtar said the situation was "tense" and that the paramilitary force was responding to Pakistan appropriately, causing them huge damage.

"The firing and shelling was expected as the harvesting season is over. We have taken suitable action," the IG said.

He said that the BSF had struck back at Pakistani posts, avenging the death of Indian jawans.
Awtar said this can be seen from the coverage on Pakistani television channels.

The ceasefire violation by Pakistan continued for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. During the last two days, the Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire in Kathua and Samba districts.

Yesterday, a BSF jawan was among two persons injured when the Pakistan Rangers opened fire and lobbed mortars at over 15 border outposts and civilian areas along the IB in Samba and Kathua districts.

On May 15, a 28-year-old BSF jawan was killed as Pakistan troops violated the ceasefire by opening fire at forward posts to help infiltrators cross the IB in the Samba sector.

Later in the day, the BSF and Jammu and Kashmir Police today paid tributes to martyr constable Sitaram Upadhyay.

A wreath-laying ceremony was held for Upadhyay at the BSF Frontier headquarters.

Jammu and Kashmir's Housing and Urban Development Minister Sat Sharma; Divisional Commissioner of Jammu Hemant Kumar; senior BSF, CRPF and police officials paid floral tributes to Upadhyay.

Constable Upadhyay made the supreme sacrifice while defending the country's sanctity, Inspector General of the BSF, Jammu Frontier, Ram Awtar, said.

The constable, who joined the force in 2011, is survived by a three-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter.

Jharkhand government has announced Rs 10 lakh monetary assistance to the family of Sitaram Upadhyay.

Meanwhile, Pakistan today summoned Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria over "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian forces along the Line of Control.

Pakistan informed the Indian envoy that the "unprovoked ceasefire violations had killed four members of a family" in village Khanoor while 10 other people were injured.