After an overnight skirmish between the Border Security Force (BSF), and Pakistan Rangers, an uneasy calm returned to the Arnia and RS Pura sectors along the Indian-Pakistan international border on Friday, officials said.
According to a senior police officer, villagers and migrant labourers, who fled their homes and shanties on Thursday night following Pakistan’s intense firing and shelling on BSF posts and forward villages, returned to their homes on Friday.
“BSF remains vigilant and continues to monitor the developments closely while assessing the situation and remains alert to respond as necessary to ensure the safety and security of the border and its residents,” BSF stated on X.
On Thursday, Pakistani Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing and shot mortars in the Arnia sector till 3am. They also fired mortars at border outposts and civilian areas. Following Pakistan’s violation of the ceasefire agreement, villages along the border were put on high alert.
“During the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, Pak Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing in the Arnia area, which was befittingly responded by BSF troops. Pak Rangers resorted to mortar shelling, which was countered by the BSF with an appropriate response,” said a BSF spokesperson in an official statement issued on Friday.
According to intelligence officials, two BSF men– Basavraj SR and Sher Singh, and a woman– Rajni Bala, a resident of Ward 5, were injured in Arnia.
On Friday morning, police teams visited affected villages, including Bhulle Chak village in RS Pura, where a Pakistani mortar exploded in the verandah of a house completely damaging a kitchen. Fortunately, no family members were injured in the explosion.
Recounting the horror that unfolded on Thursday night, Sarpanch of Sai Khurd, Vijay Choudhary said, “Pakistan suddenly opened heavy fire on Thursday night after a hiatus of over two and a half years. We urge the government to construct bunkers for us on war footing.”
“Whenever elections and festivals approach, Pakistan starts firing at us. They can’t be trusted. We are apprehensive of another round of firing by Pakistan on Friday evening. If they start again, we would be compelled to migrate to safer areas,” he added.
Videos and audio of a Pakistani officer, accessed by the HT, showed the impact of India’s retaliatory fire in forward areas of Pakistan.
The Pakistan officer was clearly heard telling his colleague to take all precautionary measures in the wake of intense firing and mortar shelling by the BSF.
The Pak officer also requested his colleague to make announcements from mosques asking people to take all safety precautions.
Following the violation of the ceasefire agreement by Pakistan, the BSF has been put on high alert all along the 198 km-long international border.
Rohit Choudhary, a National Conference activist, requested the government to deploy bulletproof ambulances in forward villages of Arnia and RS Pura sectors so that they could be used to evacuate injured to the hospitals.
The two neighbouring countries had first inked the mutually brokered truce deal in November 2003 but it was scantly regarded by Pakistan.
India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan of which 221 km of the international border and 744km of Line of Control fall in Jammu and Kashmir.
