Pakistan violates ceasefire in J&K hours after PM's visit; top updates

Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire along the international border on Late Sunday night and early Monday morning, hours after 'pleading' with BSF to stop heavy firing across the border in retaliation

The Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked firing of mortar shells along the international border on Monday morning, in a fresh case of ceasefire violation at the border. At around 7 am in the morning, mortar shells were fired at Border Security Force (BSF) outposts in Jammu and Kashmir's Arnia sector.    

The firing was retaliated to effectively by the BSF though no damage or casualty has been reported. 

A few hours ago, late on Sunday night, Pakistani Rangers resorted to cross-border firing in Jammu and Samba districts, hours after the Pakistani troops ''pleaded" with the BSF to stop the firing of heavy artillery during the day, which resulted in the death of one Pakistani trooper, said a BSF official.  

These ceasefire violations have come after a day-long visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and Kashmir.    

Here are the top updates on the ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir:

1) Fresh ceasefire violation along IB in Jammu: Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire along the international border on Monday morning firing mortar shells at BSF outposts at several places in Jammu and Kashmir's Arnia sector, which was retaliated to by the BSF effectively. 

The mortar firing from across the border started around 7 am and was still continuing when last reports were received, a senior BSF official told news agencies. 

2) Pakistan violates ceasefire in Jammu, Samba: At around 10 pm on Sunday, the Pakistani Army violated the ceasefire on the international border in Jammu and Samba districts and resorted to unprovoked firing at BSF outposts in Arnia, Ramgarh and Chamliyal areas of Jammu and Kashmir.  

The BSF retaliated appropriately. No casualty was reported on the Indian side. 

3) Pak Rangers plead for a ceasefire after pounded by BSF's precision strikes: Hours before Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire on the international border, the BSF on Sunday said the Pakistani Rangers had pleaded with them to stop firing along the International Border after being thrashed with heavy artillery that also left one ranger dead across the border.

The BSF also released a 19-second thermal-imagery video which showed the destruction of Pakistani posts across the border while retaliating against the unprovoked firing and shelling along the international border.

4) Pakistani Rangers had recently violated the ceasefire on Friday along the Line of Control (LoC) in RS Pura, Bishnah and Arnia sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. The firing came ahead of the prime minister's visit to the state.   

5) BSF jawan killed in cross-border firing: Last week on Friday, one BSF jawan was killed in an incident of cross-border firing along the international border. 28-year-old constable Sitaram Upadhyay of 192 Battalion was critically injured at Jabowal BoP around 01:30 am and died on way to GMC Hospital in Jammu. Upadhyay hailed from Giridih in Jharkhand and joined the force in 2011. He is survived by a three-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter.

6) Four civilians killed: Four civilians had lost their lives and 11 others were left injured in the firing that took place on Friday. The firing increased in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's day-long visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. 

The BSF has lost two of its troopers in the latest round of unprovoked firing along the IB in Jammu over the last few days.

7) Ceasefire in Ramadan: The central government on Wednesday ordered the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir not to carry out any operations during the holy month of Ramadan. The decision came after the chief minister of the state Mehbooba Mufti had urged for a ceasefire in the state ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.

8) Ceasefire in J&K not for militants, says Amit Shah: BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday, in the wake of the ceasefire announcement by the centre, said that the ceasefire announced by the central government during the holy month of Ramadan was not meant for militants. He said that if the militants tried to carry out attacks in this duration, "our soldiers are free to take action".

9) JKNPP stages protest, demands a withdrawal of unilateral ceasefire: Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) activists led by its chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh staged a protest on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of a unilateral halt on security operations in the state announced by the Centre.