At least five persons including three civilians and two Army personnel were killed on Friday in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Uri area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir, as per official sources. The two Army jawans are yet to be identified.
The hospital authorities have identified the slain civilians as Farooqa Begum (wife of Bashir Ahmad), Nadir Hussain (son of Peer Hussain) and Tahir Jalaludin (son of Jalaludin) all from Balkote region of Uri. Civilians have been running for safety in Tangdar amid ceasefire violation by Pakistan.
Earlier, a Border Security Force (BSF) Sub Inspector was martyred in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. SI Rakesh Dobhal deployed at the BSF artillery battery at the LoC in Nowgam Sector of Kupwara district.
He was martyred after he sustained a head injury in the firing around 1315 hours. BSF PRO said, “In the ceasefire violation started by Pakistan, BSF Officer Sub Inspector Rakesh Dobhal laid down his life while retaliating fittingly. BSF Kashmir salutes your supreme sacrifice, Braveheart.”
He said he was killed in the line of duty while responding to the shelling of Pakistan Army. Sub Inspector Dobhal was a resident of Ganga Nagar in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh.
“The ceasefire violation firing is still on and the BSF is responding effectively,” a senior official said.
There has been a massive exchange of shelling and firing in multiple sectors of North Kashmir between Indian and Pakistani Armies. Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation at many places since morning in forward areas of Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipora districts.
Earlier, the Indian Army foiled another infiltration bid in Keran sector of north Kashmir. It was the second infiltration bid foiled by Army in the last one week.
Pro-defence 15 Crop Col Rajesh Kalia in a statement said, “Suspicious movement was observed by own troops at the forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector today. The suspected infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops.”
“This was accompanied by the initiation of an unprovoked Ceasefire Violation (CFV) by Pakistan along the LoC in Keran Sector by firing mortars and other weapons. The befitting response is being given,” he said.
The ceasefire violations are spread to larger areas from Keran to Uri Sectors. An Army official said, “Pakistan Rangers resorted to massive shelling and firing in Tad Sector of Gurez Bandipora, Panzan, Keran, Tangdar area of Kupwara and Uri Sectors of North Kashmir,” he said.
The official said that due to heavy shelling, Tangdhar market was closed and residents were evacuated to safer places. “The Indian Army is responding effectively and the exchange of shelling was going on till last reports,” he said.
This was the second infiltration attempt within a week. The earlier infiltration bid was foiled as reported by Army in Machhal Sector on the intervening night of November 7-8 in which three terrorists were killed and four soldiers lost their lives.