7 Pak Rangers killed in border skirmishes in Jammu region
BSF’s strong retaliation came after its constable was critically injured in sniper fire from Pak side
JAMMU: India said on Friday it has gunned down seven Pakistani border guards in retaliation to “unprovoked firing” by the neighbouring country in the Jammu sector where the government started shifting villagers to safer places in bulletproof vehicles.
Pakistan’s army refuted the claim, with a military spokesperson saying there was “no loss (of life)” on their side of the border.
BSF’s Jammu Frontier inspector general DK Upadhyaya said another Pakistani soldier is suspected to have died when troops retaliated to heavy mortar shelling and sniper fire from across the border that left one Indian jawan seriously injured.
“…We are awaiting confirmation and then the number will go up to eight,” said Updhyaya. Pakistan Rangers is the equivalent of India’s BSF.
While the Line of Control, the de-facto boundary between the two nuclear neighbours, has been ‘live’ since India’s September 29 surgical strikes on terrorist launchpads in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, this is the first time in recent years that the International Border, which is clearly defined, has reported such a major bloody skirmish.
One suspected militant trying to infiltrate was killed in a separate incident during the daylong skirmishes at Hiranagar and Pargwal in Akhnoor and Samba sectors of Jammu region.
On Indian soldier was also injured while repulsing an infiltration bid along the line of control in Poonch.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson, general Asim Bajwa, described as “absolutely false” the BSF’s claims.
“Indians resorted to unprovoked fire/shelling on working bdry in Shakargarh sec today. Pak Rangers befittingly responded. No loss on Pak side (sic),” he tweeted.
Dharmender Pareekh, BSF’s deputy inspector general of the Jammu Frontier, said heavy cross-border firing by Pakistani troops took place throughout Friday. “(Pakistani) Rangers also used heavy 82 mm mortars in Hiranagar and we retaliated in equal measure,” he said.
Constable Gurnam Singh, who was injured in a sniper attack in Bobiya, was shifted to a government hospital in Jammu.
Later in the night, the Rangers opened fire on Indian posts in Suchetgarh area of RS Pura sector of Jammu district.