Panic gripped Arnia other areas of the RS Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir along the India-Pakistan international border on Thursday evening after Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing on BSF troops.
“There was a lot of firing by Pakistan overnight. No person was injured but houses were damaged. This kind of firing from the Pakistani side has been witnessed after almost six years. Our security forces retaliated to the firing,” Dev Raj Chowdhary, Sarpanch, at border village Bulleh Chak in Sai Kalan, Arnia of RS Pura sector in Jammu said.
Meanwhile, BSF personnel in Jammu informed that a befitting response was given to the Pakistan Rangers for the ceasefire violation and unprovoked firing on their posts.
The ceasefire violation from the Pakistan side started around 8 pm, the BSF informed further.
Locals found mortal shells in the border village of Bulleh Chak. “We have found three mortar shells so far after overnight shelling from the Pakistan side. No person has been injured in the incident,” a local said.
Alarmed at the firing, panicked locals stayed indoors. “A large mortar shell damaged our house around 8 pm last night. The kitchen has been damaged. By God’s grace, we were saved. There was a lot of firing till 4 this morning. The glasses of the windows have broken,” Ekta who resides in Arnia said.
Another local from Arnia said, “There was heavy firing. Everyone is scared. The people are hiding in bunkers.”
“There was a heavy exchange of fire (between the BSF troops and Pakistan Rangers). The (international) border is just one and a half kilometres from here. The locals panicked as the Pakistan forces resorted to unprovoked firing and stayed indoors. This type of firing we are seeing after almost two to three years,” another resident in Jammu’s Arnia told ANI. (ANI)
