Infant killed, cop among 7 hurt as Pak shells border villages
Firing started late on Sunday, hours after Pakistan rangers ‘pleaded’ BSF officials for a ceasefire
JAMMU: An eight-month-old child died, a policeman and six others were injured in Arnia sector of Jammu as Pakistani forces resumed firing in Arnia and Ramgarh area of RS Pura sector in Jammu and Samba districts on Monday morning after a brief lull in the night.
Earlier on Sunday night, Pakistani forces had opened fire in Narayanpur and Baba Chamliyal areas in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, hours after it pleaded with the Border Security Force (BSF) for a ceasefire.
“There was heavy shelling in Arnia. Six civilians and a policeman were injured in Arnia sector of Jammu. They were provided with medicare,” additional deputy commissioner of Jammu Arun Manhas said, adding, shelter camps are ready for accommodating affected persons, adding, people have been asked to move to safer places.
“Pakistan has been using 80mm and 120mm mortar shells — flat trajectory battalion level weapons on residential areas and nearby villages are being targeted,” said a police officer.
A senior police officer said an eight-month-old child died in Jogwan of Akhnoor on Sunday night. “The boy suffered bullet injury in his back when he was inside his house with his mother during a cross-border firing by Pakistan. The bullet hit him in the back and pierced through his stomach,” he said.
Two of the civilians, Darshana Devi, wife of Tarlok Singh and Mohinder Kumar, son of Hans Raj both of Pindi Charkan Kalan were shifted to hospital around 9.30am. The injured policeman has been identified as SPO Gurcharan Singh. He was posted at Arnia police station.
“The cop was injured when a mortar shell hit Arnia police station in the heart of the border town. The building, a policy gypsy, mobikes were pockmarked by the flying shrapnels that also smashed windowpanes of the police station,” he said.
The administration has shut downs schools to avoid casualties. “As precautionary measure schools within radius of 5 kilometres have been ordered to be closed. No loss of life and property has been reported,” Additional deputy commissioner Dr Arun Manhas said.
A senior BSF officer said Pakistan started firing mortars in the Arnia area at 7am on Monday. BSF posts Vikram, Chinaz and Jabowal are presently affected, he added.
In the recent times, Pakistan, which first opens unprovoked fire, has pleaded for ceasefire on the hotline in a bid to buy breathing space after punitive response by the BSF.
On May 15, BSF constable Devendra Singh Baghel was killed in Pak firing in Manguchak area of Samba and on Friday, a day before Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the state, another BSF jawan constable Sita Ram Upadhyaya was among five others killed in Arnia and RS Pura sectors of Jammu district in intense Pak shelling that triggered migration of nearly 10,000 people to safer areas.
The Jammu district administration has set up six relief camps in RS Pura and Bishnah.
CM Mehbooba Mufti on Monday visited RS Pura and condoled with the families of those killed in cross-border shelling at Arnia and RS Pura.