J-K: BSF says killed 1 Pak Ranger in crossfire at Hiranagar, 1 jawan injured
A Pakistani ranger was killed and Border Security Force (BSF) jawan injured when a gun battle broke out in Bobiya, Hiranagar sub-sector in Kathua district, on Friday morning.
A Pakistani ranger was killed and Border Security Force (BSF) jawan injured when a gun battle broke out in Bobiya, Hiranagar sub-sector in Kathua district, on Friday morning.
Confirming the incident, BSF Jammu Frontier inspector general, DK Upadhyaya, told Hindustan Times, “This morning around 9.35 am, Pakistani rangers opened unprovoked fire in Bobiyan area and injured a BSF personnel compelling us to give them a stinging retaliation... In retaliatory fire we have killed one Pak Ranger.”
The Pakistani ranger was killed opposite the BSF’s Khura border outpost in the same area.
Constable Gurnam Singh, a BSF jawan who received head injuries in the crossfire, was evacuated to a hospital.
The firing is still on, the IG said.
“Small arms and automatic weapons fire is being exchanged.”
According to a senior BSF officer, the firing from Pakistan’s side appears to be a targeted attack.
“Yesterday (Thursday) we had taken up the matter of infiltration bids with the Rangers but they plainly refused. This morning they tried to kill our boy with a sort of sniper fire. Though they used AK-47, it was more of a sniping attack,” the officer said.
He further cited “sources” from across the international border, and said one militant was killed and another was injured after BSF opened fire on a group of six militants, who tried to infiltrate into Indian territory at around 11.55 pm on October 19. Sources claimed these militants were backed by the Pakistani rangers.
The militants used automatic weapons and lobbed two mortar bombs at a BSF patrol van.
The Pakistan army also opened unprovoked fire on Indian posts along the LoC in Rajouri Sector at 12.40 pm.
“They are using small arms and automatic weapons. We are responding to them in equal measure,” defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said.
The 198-km border runs from Paharpur in Kathua to Chicken’s neck area in Akhnoor sub division of Jammu district.
Since the army announced carrying out surgical strikes across the Line of Control, in response to a militant attack on an army camp in Uri in September that killed 19, there has been an increased frequency in infiltrations bids across the border.
On September 23, the BSF said it foiled one such attempt in Akhnoor sector and nabbed one key Lashkar-e-Taiba operative namely Abdul Qayum.
India has blamed Pakistan for sheltering militants outfits who have planned attacks in India, including the Jaish-e-Mohammed which India believes carried out the recent Uri attack.
Also read | Jammu: BSF foils intrusion bid in Kathua, one Pak ultra killed
Get Current Updates on India News, Haryana Floor Test LIVE along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.