Days after India and the US decided to make "joint and concerted efforts" to dismantle terror havens of the LeT and the D company, Pakistani rangers killed five civilians and injured at least 29 when they resorted to unprovoked shelling on residential areas and Indian posts along the international border (IB) in the Arnia sub-sector of RS Pora in Jammu division on Sunday night.
Pakistani rangers started firing on border outposts of BSF and civilian areas at 10pm. Initially, they used small arms to target the Indian posts but later used heavy arms, including long-distance mortars that hit Arnia township that is around 5km away from the international border.
"There has been ceasefire violation again from Pakistan side. They are targeting civilian population and there have been five casualties on the Indian side," Rakesh Sharma, IG, BSF, Jammu frontier, said. "The firing started at 10pm and continued till 5am. We retaliated very heavily and gave appropriate response."
Pakistan targeted dozens of BSF posts and several civilian areas. Scores of houses in Mahasha Kote, Pindi, Koku-di-Kotha and Channa villages were hit by bullets and shells. One of the shells exploded near a house where birthday celebrations were on.
This is the 11th ceasefire violation over the past six days in J&K. The fresh firing comes in the backdrop of the decision of India and US to make "joint and concerted efforts" to dismantle the LeT, JeM, D-company, Al Qaida and Haqqani network. The firing comes days after Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif tried to rake up the Kashmir issue in the UN.
"They (the Pakistan) have nothing else to speak, but only Kashmir. Whenever they go abroad, they try to raise the Kashmir issue, but every time they miserably fail to get international attention. The cross-border shelling is an indication of their frustration," Omar Abdullah, J&K CM said.
Security analysts said Pakistan was trying to vitiate the atmosphere at the borders to divert attention from domestic problems.
In July-August, Pakistan resorted to heaviest shelling on Indian positions and civilian areas along the international border for 45 days. Two civilians were killed and over 15 people, including some BSF men, were injured in the ceasefire violations.
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