Pakistan violates ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir's RS Pura sector, killing one BSF soldier and two civilians

A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier was killed on Friday after Pakistan violated ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir’s RS Pura sector, according to media reports. Two civilians also lost their lives in the attack. Slain BSF constable Sitaram Upadhyay hailed from Jharkhand. He is survived by a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son.

Photo of BSF Constable Sitaram Upadhyay, who lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in RS Pura sector of #JammuAndKashmir. He hails from Jharkhand & is survived by a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son. pic.twitter.com/ViHqGi5Rzc

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2018

The two civilians, who were killed as a result of the ceasefire violation by Pakistan, were identified as Tarsem Lal and his wife Manjeet Kour. The couple was killed in the shelling when a mortar exploded in their house in Chandu Chak village in RS Pura sector, Hindustan Times reported. The reported further quoted a senior official of the BSF as saying, “The firing in RS Pura sector is intermittent.” The administration has announced that schools within a three-kilometre radius of the International Border (IB) will remain closed on Friday,  ANI also reported. This is the third instance of ceasefire violation by Pakistan this week. On Thursday, a BSF trooper was injured in firing by Pakistani rangers on the IB in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district. The Pakistani rangers resorted to unprovoked firing on the IB in Samba and Hiranagar sectors, BSF sources had said. The rangers had fired at some dozen BSF border outposts. The BSF trooper was injured at the Regal Post. “The BSF positions retaliated effectively. Firing exchanges between the two sides continued till the early hours,” the sources had said. On Tuesday, a BSF constable was killed in Pakistan firing on the IB in the Samba district. “Pakistan rangers started ceasefire violation at 1.30 am. They resorted to unprovoked firing at the BSF positions on the IB. “BSF constable, Devinder Singh, was injured in the firing. He succumbed to his injuries later,” a BSF official had said. The ceasefire violations come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir on 19 May. With inputs from IANS