Six civilians injured as Pakistan troops target Indian border outposts and villages in Jammu and Samba

Jammu: After a two-day lull in cross-border firing and shelling, Pakistani troops targeted Indian border outposts and villages along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Samba districts on Thursday, injuring six civilians, a senior BSF (Border Security Force) officer said. The officer said Pakistan targeted more than 15 BoPs (border outpost) on Thursday night. Indian troops retaliated effectively. The exchange of fire is going intermittently, he said. [caption id=“attachment_1374503” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AP[/caption] Earlier, Pakistani troops shelled Jerdha hamlet in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district, the officer said. A policeman said Pakistan Rangers shelled more than 20 border hamlets in the Arnia sector, injuring six people. Arnia Khurd, Pindi, Kathar, Jabowal, Kol Khurd in the Arnia sector bore the brunt of the shelling. Several houses were damaged and over a dozen cattle were killed in the firing, the police officer said. There had been continuous firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the border and the Line of Control (LoC) between 13 and 18 September. A BSF jawan and a civilian were killed and 12 others injured in the shelling and firing by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Poonch districts during the period. On the intervening night of 17 and 18 September, Pakistan Rangers opened unprovoked firing in Arnia Sector and later resorted to mortar shelling. The night before, several border outposts and villages in Arnia Sector were targeted by Pakistani troops. Mortar shells reached Arnia town and about a dozen shells exploded in Arnia bus stand, killing a woman and injuring several others. On 16 September, Pakistani troops targeted Indian border outposts and hamlets along the IB in Jammu district. One temple, two houses and three cowsheds were damaged in the Pakistani firing in Sai, Treva and Jabowl villages. Three livestock were killed in the overnight shelling. BSF jawan Bijender Bahadur was killed and a villager injured on 15 September when Pakistan troops resorted to firing and shelling along the IB in Arnia sector. Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply in 2017. Till 1 August, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures by the Indian Army.