The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, January 1,
2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I N N E W S

Four Pak soldiers killed
Seven bunkers destroyed

Jammu, December 31
Seven Pakistani bunkers were blown to smithereens and four of its soldiers killed when Indian troops opened heavy retaliatory artillery fire on frontier Pakistani positions across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Pallanwala area of Akhnoor sector early this morning.

Indian tanks take part in a military exercise in the Samba sector on Monday.

Indian villagers display destroyed household items from their burnt house which they say caused by mortar shells, fired by Pakistani troops on Indian border villages near Baingalar, Samba, 50 km southeast of Jammu, on Monday. — Reuters photos

Highly-placed defence sources said here this morning that Pakistani Regulars opened unprovoked fire through heavy calibre weapons on forward Indian positions around 3.45 a.m. this morning targeting bunkers and communication towers. The regulars also fired 81 mm mortar shells in a “precise-attack technique’’ for about an hour provoking retaliation from Indian soldiers.

In retaliation, troops fired 82 mm mortar shells targeting Pakistani bunkers and watch towers and the fiery showdown continued for the next five hours. In the first two hours of heavy cross-border firing, four Pakistani bunkers were blown to smithereens when hit by mortars and “tracers”. Two Pakistani Regulars were killed, the sources said.

Incensed at the heavy retaliation, the Pakistani troops, assisted by their Special Services Group (SSG) commandos, opened fire from 155 mm heavy artillery guns in a bid to destroy the isolated bunkers and communication towers, the sources said.

Sources said the heavy artillery firing by Pakistani forced Indian troops to retaliate in the same vein. In the subsequent heavy exchange of fire, troops destroyed three more Pakistani bunkers and a Regular and an SSG commando were also killed.

There were no casualties on the Indian side, sources pointed out. The fiery showdown was still continuing when reports last came in.

Elsewhere along the International Border, the Pakistan Rangers also unleashed fire from heavy machine guns on various Indian border outposts in Akhnoor, Samba and Hiranagar sectors amid fresh reports of people fleeing their villages in the wake of escalated Pakistani firing. UNI

22 families from Khalra shift to Patti
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, December 31
In view of the panic prevailing in the border villages due to the Army deployment, the families have moved to safer places. The Financial Commissioner, Revenue, Mr Bhagat Singh who has been specially deputed by the government for the purpose, yesterday toured the affected villages of the border belt.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Bhagat Singh said 22 families from Khalra border belt had been camping in a temple at Patti. He said the government had planned to open 10 help-cum-guidance centres at various places in the area so that the people who preferred to move to safer places could be provided all possible support. He said a number of religious, social and non-governmental organisations had offered to provide food, clothing and shelter to the people displaced by the movement of the Army in the forward positions.

Mr Bhagat Singh said the government was totally seized of the problem being faced by the families who had left their homes and was taking measures to provide all possible help, including medical facilities, food and shelter. He added that the persons who had been rendered unemployed due to displacement would be given preference for daily-wage jobs.

Meanwhile, the government has temporarily shifted the office of the Commissioner, Jalandhar division, to Amritsar to supervise the relief work in the border districts of the state. The district officers were maintaining a liaison with the Army. The Principal Secretary, Home, has been appointed as nodal officer to personally monitor the situation.