Bodies of 4 BSF personnel have been brought to the Government Medical College in Jammu
Highlights
- Major ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmi's Samba
- Four BSF personnel dead in firing by Pakistan overnight
- Frequency of firing along International Border and LoC increased in 2018
Four personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) have died in Pakistani firing in Chambliyal sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district. One among the four is BSF assistant commandant.
The major ceasefire violation by
Pakistan comes nearly a week after top level military officers of both countries agreed to implement the ceasefire pact of 2003 in "letter and spirit".
"Pakistan Rangers initiated cross border firing along the International Border in Ramgarh last night. We have lost four of our personnel, including an assistant commandant rank officer, while other 3 of our personnel suffered injuries," Inspector General, BSF, Ram Awtar told news agency PTI. The police chief of Jammu and Kashmir, SP Vaid, in a tweet expressed his condolences.
The firing from across the border in Chamliyal sector started around 10.30 pm on Tuesday and continued overnight, till around 4.30 am today, said police sources. The BSF troops also fired in retaliation, the official said.
Even as the Indian forces are maintaining a ceasefire against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and border truce with Pakistan, there have have been over 1,000 violations from the Pakistani side in 2018 alone, the government said.
"We have maintained that the ceasefire violation by Pakistan is used as a cover to infiltrate terrorists into our territory and we have seen the results of such infiltrations in the past. We hope that Pakistan will realise what it is doing and adheres to the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries in this matter," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on June 7.
On June 2, two BSF personnel, including an officer, died after Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts along the International Border in Jammu. The heavy firing and mortar shelling from across the border in Pragwal area of Akhnoor and nearby Kanachak and Khour sectors also injured 10 persons, including a policeman and a woman. Border residents were forced to abandon their homes and move to safer places.
(With inputs from PTI & IANS)