Pakistan Rangers fired at 15 BSF posts in the Samba and Harinagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir violating ceasefire, according to reports.

In what will be the third ceasefire violation in the last 36 hours, Pakistani Rangers on Wednesday fired at 15 BSF posts in the Samba and Harinagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir, reports said.

TV reports also say that firing is underway between Indian and Pakistani troops in the region.

On Wednesday, Four Pakistani rangers were killed in BSF retaliatory firing after an Indian jawan lost his life in heavy firing from the other side while on a patrol on Wednesday along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district.

The retaliation which forced the Pakistani rangers to wave white flags, came on a day when Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had asked the BSF to give a befitting reply when the paramilitary force's Director General DK Pathak briefed him about the prevailing situation in Jammu frontier.

"We have retaliated effectively to the Pakistani firing, in which four Pakistani rangers have been killed (opposite to Regal post) along the IB in Samba sector this evening," Inspector General (IG) BSF, Jammu Frontier Rakesh Sharma had told PTI in Jammu.

As Pakistani rangers suffered casualties, they waved white flags asking BSF to stop the firing so that they can lift the bodies of its dead men, he said.

"Honouring their request we stopped the firing and allowed them to come to the border line and lift the bodies," he said adding, "firing along the border line has now stopped".

The deceased jawan who died in the firing has been identified as Constable Sri Ram Gowria, the IG said. Another jawan suffered minor injuries, reports said.

Sharma, who rushed to the spot and supervised the operation, had said BSF troops took positions and gave the Pakistani troops a befitting reply. There were also reports of firing in other areas in Kathua and Samba district.

Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the Indian security forces should not hold back in the face of firing and must retaliate with "double the force".

Underlining that the the number of ceasefire violations across the LoC have reduced as compared to last year, Parrikar, however, noted that the violations have increased across the IB.

"Our (NDA government) response is don't hesitate. React appropriately without holding yourself back", he said. He added that and if there is an attack on Army posts, the terrorists need to be neutralised "with double the force"

The Minister had also stressed that the Indian forces did not violate ceasefire agreements but only responded to violations by Pakistani troops.

(With inputs from PTI)