On His Birthday, BSF Jawan Dies In Pak Firing, India Strongly Retaliates

New Delhi: Firing went on throughout the night on the International Border in Arnia sector of Jammu. Border Security Force opened fired seeing suspicious movements, killing one intruder. In neighbouring Samba sector a BSF jawan died in firing by Pakistan. Last evening, Pakistan violated ceasefire and targeted BSF troopers along the International Border. India strongly retaliated and heavy exchange of firing has been going on between the two sides. 

The BSF jawan who died was head Constable RP Hazra, from Murshidabad in West Bengal. He had been with the BSF for 27 years. It was RP Hazra's birthday today. 

According to official figures, a total of 820 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017 as against 221 in the year before. Yesterday, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said an 'aggressive strategy' has to be maintained in dealing with ceasefire violations by Pakistan and indicated that the force has been responding effectively to such incidents.

General Bipin Rawat was responding to a question on the Army's strategy to deal with repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

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"They (Pakistan) are doing it (violating ceasefire), but we are responding to it, but an aggressive strategy has to be maintained ('Wo kar rahe hain, hum bhi kar rahe hain, lekin aggressive strategy to rakhni padegi na)," he told reporters, on the sidelines on an event.

Since the beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for-tat approach.

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Genaral Rawat said India wants to live in peace, if "two neighbours living in a colony have an issue, one of them can choose to move house. But, as nations we can't do that."