Pak troops violate ceasefire again, BSF hits back

The Border Security Force foiled a major infiltration bid by militants to cross into Indian territory as Pakistani troops fired at two forward posts in the Samba sector in the wee hours of Tuesday, in the fifth case of ceasefire violation within a week.

A BSF patrol party noticed some movement of militants at two posts -- S M Pur and S M Pur-one -- in Ramgarh sub-sector of Samba and challenged the militants, police officials said. Pakistani troops then opened fire, the he BSF retaliated and the exchange between the two sides continued intermittently for half-an-hour. The militants later fled.

Inspector General of BSF (Jammu frontier) A K Sarolia said a red alert has been sounded and patrolling intensified along the entire border. The militants, he said, did not succeed in infiltrating into Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani troops had also opened fire at approximately 10.40 pm on Monday night at Kandral border outpost along the international border, drawing retaliatory fire from BSF personnel.

In a pre-dawn attack on Sunday, border outposts at Londi and Bobiya were targeted. At the subsequent flag meeting, India had lodged its protest against the ceasefire violation.

On Saturday, a BSF jawan was killed and two others were injured in cross border firing at Kranti post near the Line Of Control in Poonch.

There have been 28 incidents of such ceasefire violations till November 25 by Pakistan along the LoC. During the last four years, there have been 129 incidents of ground ceasefire and 43 air space violations by Pakistan.