M A I N   N E W S

3 Army men among 12 hurt; hundreds flee after Pak firing 
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

Arnia/New Delhi, October 7
India and Pakistan have raised the border violation rhetoric with both sides locked in a heavy exchange of fire, resulting in the death of at least eight civilians on each side in the last 48 hours.

The BSF today said Pakistan Rangers escalated firing along the 100-km stretch along the international border in Arnia, RS Pura and Akhnoor sectors targeting 40 forward posts and 25 hamlets. At least nine civilians and three Armymen were injured on Tuesday, taking the number to 46. Five civilians were killed yesterday in Arnia and Mahashe-De-Kothe village.

An Arnia police officer said nearly half of the town’s 20,000 people haves fled to safety. Around 3,000 villagers migrated to schools in safer areas of Salehar, Deoli, Rehal and Bishnah.

Along the Line of Control in Poonch, one JCO and two Armymen were injured in the shelling by Pakistani troops.

“Around 1 pm, Pakistani troops opened automatic weapon fire on forward posts in Mankote-cum-Balnoi sector of Poonch. In the evening, they started shelling Banwat and Hamirpur areas of Rajouri district,” said an intelligence source. “We responded effectively and appropriately,” said defence spokesperson Col Manish Mehta.

Defence sources said in Delhi that there was growing suspicion in the security establishment that a part of the ongoing firing from across the boundary is being done by terrorists with the Pakistan Army tacitly supporting them.

Sources said the top decision-makers have been informed that men from the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba are among the teams firing at Indian outposts. This is being done simultaneously by the Pakistan Army and Rangers, a paramilitary outfit. The firing is seen more of attempt to infiltrate from the Tangdhar sector in north Kashmir as the snow in late October will close the mountain passes.

Top military officials of India and Pakistan talked over hotline for five minutes during which both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire. The Brigadier--level representatives of Directorate Generals of Military Operations expressed concern over civilian casualties and admitted there was a need to maintain peace along the LoC.

Sources said the Indian side conveyed to Pakistan that the Army has been told to give an appropriate response to truce violations. A senior official said in case the firing across the LoC resumes, then the DGMOs of either side – Lt General PR Kumar and Major General Aamer Riaz — could speak to each other tomorrow or day after.

“As many as 40 BSF posts in Arnia, RS Pura, Pargwal, Kanachak and Gajansoo areas were targeted in the overnight firing. We gave a befitting reply,” said BSF DG, DK Pathak. In Arnia, one of the shells hit the boundary wall of the Arnia police station injuring six persons. 

Top military officers speak over hotline

* Top military officers of India and Pakistan talked over hotline for five minutes during which both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

* The Brigadier-level representatives of Directorate Generals of Military Operations expressed concern over civilian casualties and said there was a need to maintain peace along the LoC.