BSF trooper, 4 civilians injured as Pak troops open fire at 5 Indian posts

A Border Security Force jawan and four civilians were injured when Pakistan Rangers opened unprovoked firing at five Indian posts along the International Border (IB) in the Arnia and R S Pura sectors in Jammu Thursday night, a senior official said.

The firing by the Pakistani troops started around 8 pm in the Arnia sector, he said, adding that the "unprovoked firing" was befittingly retaliated.

Four to five posts are involved in the firing on both sides, the BSF official told PTI.

He said a BSF jawan and four civilians were injured.

The injured jawan was shifted to the GMC Hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment, the official said, adding that the exchange of fire was going on intermittently.

On whether there were any losses to Pakistani posts in the retaliatory action by the BSF, he said it would be known in the morning.

As per sources, Pakistan Rangers also fired mortar shells in civilian areas, triggering panic among the border population.

Some of the areas that reportedly came under fire include Arnia, Suchtgarh, Sia, Jabowal and Treva areas along the IB, they said.

People in Arnia and Jabowal, particularly migrant labourers, were seen fleeing their homes.

Several families have taken shelter in bunkers in various villages in the border area.

There have been more than a dozen such ceasefire violations after India and Pakistan signed an agreement on February 25, 2021, to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors.

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