Pak opens heavy fire, four BSF men killed
The two countries had agreed on May 29 to hold fire, but the Pakistani side targetted moving troops, BSF said
JAMMU: Three officers and a trooper of the Border Security Force (BSF) were killed and three others were severely injured in firing by Pakistan Rangers across the international border in another ceasefire violation near the famous Chamliyal shrine in Ramgarh sub-sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district late on Tuesday.
“They first fired two mortars that landed on our party, followed by firing. It happened around 9.45pm on Tuesday night. We have retaliated and other action is in the pipeline,” said BSF Jammu frontier inspector general Ram Awtar. “Four BSF men have made supreme sacrifices in the line of duty,” he said.
The BSF men killed in the attack were identified as assistant commandant Jitender Singh, sub inspector Rajneesh Kumar, assistant sub inspector Ramniwas and constable Hansraj Gurjar. The injured were hospitalised.
Pakistan Rangers first subjected a patrol team to cross border firing in which a few BSF men were injured, BSF officers said. When a team was sent to evacuate the injured men, the Rangers fired mortars on the rescuers. All the four men who died belonged to the 62 battalion of the BSF that manned the Chamliyal shrine.
Every year, on the last Thursday of June, a three-day fair is held at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, also known as Baba Chamliyal, on either side of the border. Pakistan Rangers usually offer a chaddar (a large cloth) and sweets on behalf of the people of Pakistan; BSF men in turn give them shakkar (holy soil) and sherbet from the shrine which many believe cures skinrelated ailments.
CONTINUED ON P 8 ››RELATED REPORT, P7