Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistan Rangers continued overnight shelling at BSF posts along the Line of Control in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, forcing villagers to abandon their houses.
Over 3,500 people have migrated from border villages in Samba and Kathua districts. Around 2,500 people have migrated from 11 villages in Kathua after shelling from across international border. 1800 people are in relief camps.
Earlier on Monday, one BSF jawan was killed by Pakistani Rangers at Hiranagar in Samba sector.
“Pakistani Rangers resorted to ceasefire violation and opened small arms firing in one post in Samba district and two areas in Kathua district late last night,” officials said.
There was firing on Bobiyan and Pansar forward areas along international border in Kathua district since Sunday night, deputy commissioner, Kathua, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said, adding it was going on intermittently.
In Samba district, there were two rounds of small arms firing on Ballard post in Ramgarh sub-sector on Sunday night, SSP, Samba, Anil Magotra said, adding that by and large there was calm along international border in Samba.
However, residents of border villages continue to leave for safer areas in view of the latest round of ceasefire violations by Pakistan since New Year eve.
There was no firing by Pakistan Rangers from night of January 3 till January 4 evening. Administration has provided bedding, tarpaulin, blankets, ration, lentils, firewood, drinking water and other basic items at these relief camps, deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.
On January 3, two Army jawans and a woman were killed while 11 people were injured in the firing.
On New Year eve, Pakistani firing had left two persons dead, including a BSF jawan, and nine injured while five Pakistani Rangers were killed in retaliatory firing by India.
