Pakistani and Indian troops traded heavy gunfire and shelling in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, leaving three civilians and two troopers dead amid increasing tensions between the two sides.
The fresh exchange of fire took place a day after Director General (DG) Border Security Force (BSF) said the situation is tense on the border.
Yesterday, a BSF soldier and three civilians were killed and at least five civilians injured in fire on both sides of the divide. While a BSF soldier and a minor girl were killed in RS Pura and Arnia sectors, Pakistan said that two women were killed in “unprovoked” Indian fire and five civilians, including three women were injured.
On Friday morning, the armies of two countries traded heavy gunfire in R S Pura and Ramgarh sectors along the International border and Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani area of Rajouri district.
“Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1330 hours in Sunderbani sector along the Line of Control (LoC),” said an official. “Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively,” he said.
In the exchange of fire, Lance Naik Sam Abraham was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries.
An official said that Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire by resorting to indiscriminate firing at Indian positions in several sector of the international border in Jammu and Samba districts.
“Pakistan initiated heavy fire from RS Pura to Basanter river at about 0640-45 hrs,” a Border Security Force (BSF) spokesperson said.
“The heavy firing exchanges are going on in the area,” he said, adding: “Our troops are responding appropriately.”
The official said that three civilians were killed in the firing. The deceased were identified as Kamal Jeet (40), son of Raj Singh, Davinder Singh (33), son of Raj Singh and Bal Krishan (30), son of Gurcharan Lal — all residents of Suchetgarh, R.S Pura.
He said that Head Constable Jagpal Singh of A Coy 173 Bn was wounded after Pakistan resorted to firing on Indian posts in Samba sector.
Singh, he said, was shifted to District Hospital Samba for treatment. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
This is the third exchange of fire between the two countries in this sector during past three days.
Earlier on the intervening night of January 17 and 18, a BSF head constable A Suresh and a minor girl Sbeity were killed in the exchange.
Following the tense situation, the administration shut schools located within a radius of five kilometres radius from the border.