Three hurt in Pak shelling in Jammu & Kashmir’s Arnia town

For the last four months, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire on the Indian side almost daily. (Representational Image)

A woman along with her 12-year-old son were among three people injured in Pakistan shelling in Arnia town on Saturday night.

Identifying the injured as May Devi, 65, Rajni Kumar, 35,and her son Shubam, 12, all residents of Arnia town, sources said that trio were referred to Government Medical College Hospital at Jammu. However, condition of Maya Devi was stated to be critical.

Giving details, sources said that mortar shelling from across the international border started in Joran area around 9.30 pm. Soon mortar shells started falling in Arnia town as well causing panic among the people.

It has not been the first time that mortar shells from Pakistan have landed in Arnia town. In 2014 also, many people were injured and a number of houses damaged in Pakistani shelling.

By midnight, the entire border in Arnia sector had become alive with BSF retaliating at all places.

As reports last came in, Pakistani Rangers had started shelling at Sai, Jabbowal and Jora Farm as well. The BSF troops were retaliating.

The fresh escalation along the international border has come four days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had at Nowshera issued a stern warning to Pakistan saying that it will have to stop ceasefire violations one day… “today or tomorrow” in view of the strong retaliation by Indian troops.

To substantiate his point, he had recalled 2014 when Pakistani Rangers had been resorting to heavy Shelling along the international border in Jammu region and it had to stop firing following strong retaliation by BSF troops. “Since then, the border has been peaceful there,” he added.

On September 15 morning, a BSF Constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh was killed in firing by Pakistani Rangers.

For the last four months, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire on the Indian side almost daily. This has led to suspension of cross LoC trade and travel on Poonch – Rawalakot Road through Chakkan Da Bagh in Poonch for the last over two months.

In the wake of continued shelling from Pakistan side,thousands of people have migrated from their native places along the LoC in Nowshera sector. Pointing out that there have been more than 400 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan every year since 2014, Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his recent Jammu visit had said that the neighbouring country do not seem interested in improving relationship with India.