M A I N   N E W S

BSF guard hurt in Pak fire in Samba
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS

Top military officials may meet next month Islamabad: Amid tensions, senior military officials from Pakistan and India are expected to meet next month to come up with a clear plan to restore ceasefire along the Line of Control, a media report said on Monday. However, there was no independent confirmation of this from the Indian High Commission here.

Jammu, October 14
A BSF constable was injured in sniper fire by Pakistan Rangers, who also opened heavy fire today on at least two Indian forward posts in Samba sector along the 191.5-km-long international border.

The BSF retaliated effectively and heavy exchange of fire lasted for over an hour.

“At about 11.30 am, sniper fire followed by heavy volume of fire came from the Pakistan side on the Naka mound in the area of responsibility of border outpost Katao, which lies near Londi, in Samba area. Constable M Baswaraj, who was on duty, sustained bullet injuries in the abdomen,” said BSF spokesperson Vinod Yadav.

He said that the injured constable was immediately evacuated to a Samba hospital and then to the Government Medical College and Hospital here.

“The injured constable is undergoing an operation and his condition is state to be stable,” said Yadav.

Following a calibrated retaliation from the Indian side, the fire stopped at 12.15 pm. This is the fourth incident of sniping fire this year in which a BSF guard sustained bullet injuries, said the spokesperson. It has been learnt that the injured BSF guard belonged to 9 Battalion of the paramilitary force that mans the Samba sector.

An official source said that soon after a bullet hit M Baswaraj, Rangers opened heavy fire on Indian posts.

“Our guards guarding the border immediately took positions and retaliated strongly,” he said. “Similarly, Rangers also opened fire on Pansar post in Hiranagar tehsil but the gunfight there was not as intense as it was in Katao,” said the source.

Meanwhile, the police and CRPF today scanned jungles of Billawar tehsil in Kathua district for over six hours after a man claimed that he saw four suspicious-looking men carrying bags on their shoulders during the wee hours.

“The individual, who works as a cook in marriages, claimed that around 4.30 am today, he saw four men with bags but we didn’t find anything in our search. The CRPF had also joined us in the operation,” said a police officer.