*IB peaceful, 2 injured on LoC

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Nov 2: Army today decimated six Pakistani posts opposite Mendhar and Balakote sectors in Poonch district to stop shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC), as these posts were directly targeting the civilian population in the towns, leading to killing of two innocent women and injuries to many others while BSF said it has inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistan Rangers during yesterday’s assault across Ramgarh and Arnia sectors in Samba and Jammu districts respectively in which 14 posts of the enemy troops were destroyed.

As two more civilians including a teacher were injured in Mendhar in Pakistan shelling today, the Army launched massive assault on Pakistani posts across Mendhar and Balakote, which were targeting innocent civilians and reduced to ashes their six posts after which shelling stopped in Mendhar, Balakote and Mankote sectors of Poonch district, which was going on since yesterday morning.

Official sources told the Excelsior that Pakistan might have suffered casualties in destruction of their posts, which were razed to ground in massive counter offensive launched by the troops to save lives of civilians. A woman and her daughter-in-law were killed on the LoC at Naika Panjgrain in Tarkundi-Manjakote yesterday while half a dozen civilians were injured.

The counter offensive, according to sources, was necessitated to silence Pakistani shelling and save the civilians, who had been trapped in their houses and bunkers since yesterday morning. There was no shelling in Mendhar, Balakote and Mankote since 3.30 pm onwards after the counter-assault of Army against the Pakistani troops.

The Army and BSF have revised their strategy recently to decimate the Pakistani posts to save civilian population on this side. “The strategy has been very successfully,” sources said, adding whenever and wherever the troops have taken this punitive action against Pakistan Army and Rangers, the shelling has stopped immediately as the enemy troops had to run for cover and it will take time for them to re-construct the troops. The re-construction is also being checked,” sources said.

“The Indian retaliation yesterday in which 14 Pakistani posts were destroyed was measured and accurate aimed at military targets rather than civilian population.

The coordinated fire assault by the BSF executed with complete precision destroyed number of Pakistan forward Morchas and Posts. Inputs suggested several casualties of Pakistani Rangers and serious damage to their 14 posts and numerous Pakistani bunkers,” a handout issued by DIG-cum-PRO BSF, Dharmendra Pareek, said.

He said Pakistani continued to pursue the strategy of unprovoked cross-border firing and shelling to push infiltrators and terrorists into India, which is being continuously foiled by the alert BSF troops.

Meanwhile, IG BSF, Jammu Frontiers, DK Upadhyaya told reporters today that Pakistan’s border guarding force was deliberately targeting civilian areas and its Army directly supporting the troops in the shelling on these areas and Indian posts along the International Border.

He said Pakistan Army is giving full support to Pakistan Rangers, which have violated ceasefire “countless” times in recent past.

“Pakistani forces are firing heavy mortars deliberately towards Indian civilian areas. BSF never fires towards any Pakistani civilian area. We fire only towards military bunkers from where Pakistani forces fire. We have inflicted heavy damage on 14 Pakistani bunkers,” he said.

However, he ruled out use of artillery by Pakistan troops in shelling on Indian areas.

“There is no proof of artillery being used by the Pakistani forces”, the BSF Jammu chief said.

Upadhyaya said Pakistan has violated the “human rights and international norms,” by targeting civilian areas.

BSF has foiled 5 infiltration bids along IB in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district since October 20-21 night.

“Since the forced infiltration was foiled on the intervening night of October 20 and 21, five infiltration bids have been foiled and a total of 14 infiltration bids were foiled this year…Out of them, three bids have been made close to Diwali night”, he said.

But Pakistan is continuously making efforts to help the terrorists to enter into Indian side, the IG said adding “BSF is fully prepared to give a befitting reply to any such attempt”.

Upadhyaya said if there was any civilian casualty in the Pakistani side, it was because the civilian population lives very close to the military bunkers that might have resulted in “collateral” damage.

He also showed images of BSF’s firing which targeted only military bunkers in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, tension persisted along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan shelling several posts and civilian areas in the morning at Mendhar, Balakote and Mankote in Poonch district.

Two civilians were injured when mortar shells fell inside or close to their houses in Mendhar. They have been identified as Mohammad Saleem, 56, a teacher, son of Mir Mohammad R/o Upper Dharana and Mohammad Rafiq, 53, son of Mohammad Hussain R/o Dharana, Mendhar. They were immediately evacuated from the shelling site and admitted to the hospital.

Sources said due to shelling electricity and water lines were damaged in Balakote, a result of which the town was without power and water since yesterday.

However, shelling on the LoC stopped at 3.30 pm today after punitive action taken by the Army.

Meanwhile, following killing of eight civilians yesterday including two children and four women in Ramgarh and Manjakote sectors of Jammu and Rajouri districts respectively in Pakistan shelling, large number of people have migrated from Hiranagar, Ramgarh, Arnia, RS Pura, Nowshera, Manjakote and Mendhar sectors along IB and LoC.

While majority of them have taken shelter in the houses of their relatives and friends in safer areas, many others have been camping at lodgments centres set up by them by the concerned administration in nearby safer areas.

Sources said the civilian killings at Ramgarh and Manjakote yesterday has forced the people to desert the houses falling within firing and shelling range and shift to safer areas.