Two BSF personnel killed as Pak violates ceasefire in J&K

Nearly a week after the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan agreed to implement the ceasefire pact of 2003 in "letter and spirit", Pakistani rangers resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing along the IB here this morning killing two BSF personnel.

The firing from across the International Border (IB) in the Pragwal area of Akhnoor sector started in the wee hours, resulting in critical injuries to two BSF personnel manning a forward post, a senior officer of the border guarding force told PTI.

He said both the personnel, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, later succumbed to injuries at a hospital while undergoing treatment.

The firing from across the border in violation of the ceasefire agreement prompted a strong and effective retaliation by the BSF, the officer said.

Cross-border firing was going on when last reports came in, he added.

On May 29, the DGMOs of India and Pakistan agreed to "fully implement" the ceasefire pact of 2003 in "letter and spirit" forthwith to stop border skirmishes in J&K.

The two military commanders reviewed the prevailing situation along the LoC and the IB in J&K during a conversation over the special hotline.

The hotline contact was initiated by the Pakistani DGMO.

Following the conversation between Indian DGMO Lt Gen Anil Chauhan and Pakistan's Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, the two armies issued identical statements saying both sides agreed to implement the 15-year-old ceasefire understanding.

The latest deaths in the Pakistani firing raised the casualty figure during ceasefire violations along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) in the state to 46. The dead includes 20 security personnel.

Last month, thousands of people residing along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts had to flee their homes following intense shelling from Pakistan between May 15 and May 23 which left 12 people dead, including two BSF jawans and an infant, and scores of others injured.

After the DGMOs of the two countries spoke to each other, hope rekindled among border residents who had started returning to their homes but the latest incident would trigger fresh concerns among them.