Pakistan Rangers open fire, panic in border villages in Jammu

Breaching the ceasefire for the first time since August, Pakistan Rangers Friday opened heavy fire on Indian positions in the international border in Jammu district, creating panic among scores of residents in border villages, officials said.

"After a woman was killed and four civilians wounded by Pakistani troops firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district earlier Friday, Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing at Border Security Force (BSF) positions in Arnia sub-sector of Jammu district in the evening," a police officer told IANS here.

"Pakistan Rangers are using mortars and automatic weapons to target BSF positions. The firing is still going on (around 8.15 p.m)," he said

"Fear has gripped people in villages close to the international border in the area," he said, adding people in these villages have been advised not to move out of their homes to avoid injuries.

Both the LoC and the international border in Jammu and Kashmir had remained calm for nearly a month till Oct 1 when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Poonch district.

Pakistan Rangers Friday violated the ceasefire for the first time since the last week of August this year.

The army guards the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir while the international border is guarded by paramilitary BSF on the Indian side and Pakistan Rangers on the other side.