Ceasefire in tatters as four BSF men killed in Pak firing
BETRAYAL The two sides had agreed on May 29 to hold fire but the Pakistani side fired on moving troops, BSF said
Four Border Security Force men, including an assistant commandant, were killed and three seriously injured in firing by Pakistan Rangers along the International Border in the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, a BSF officer said on Wednesday.
The ceasefire violation in the Ramgarh sector on Tuesday night comes after the two sides on May 29 agreed to hold fire. The BSF said it had honoured its commitment but Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing.
“Since the ceasefire was on...it is the time we use to strengthen our defences. A team was going with defence material, Pakistan violated the ceasefire and fired at them with flat trajectory weapon followed by mortar firing,” BSF additional director general (Western Command) KN Chaubey told media.
Another BSF team, led by assistant commandant Jitender Singh, rushed to evacuate and a mortar shell fired from Pakistan’s Asraf Post exploded close to them in Chambiliyal, resulting in fatalities, he said.
It was very unfortunate that the ceasefire announcement was not honoured. “... And what Paki-
JAMMU:
stan does is Pakistan’s business and how we respond to betrayal is our job,” he said.
Eleven BSF troops have been killed in cross-border firing incidents along border in the state this year, the most losses the border guard has suffered in a year since 2013, latest data reveals.
Pak Rangers started firing at around 9.40pm, targeting Chamliyal, a BSF said. The firing continued till 4.30 am Wednesday with the BSF hitting back, a police officer said.
The BSF identified the deceased as assistant commandant Jitender Singh, sub-inspector Rajneesh Kumar, assistant sub-inspector Ram Niwas and constable Hansraj Gurjar.
Three of the men were from Rajasthan. The 34-year-old Singh was from Jaipur, Gurjar, 28, from Alwar and Niwas, 52, from Sikar. The 32-year-old Kumar was from Etah in Uttar Pradesh.
On June 3, two BSF men, including an ASI, were killed and 10 people, mostly civilians, injured in shelling in Pragwal, Kanachak and Khour sectors.
More than 1,200 ceasefire violations along the border and the LoC have killed 51 people, including 25 securitymen, this year.