BSF destroys 14 Pakistan posts in retaliatory action along LoC in J&K

Jammu: BSF on Tuesday destroyed 14 posts of Pakistani Rangers in retaliatory action along International Border (IB) in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors of Jammu frontier.

Eight people were died, mostly children and women, were killed and 22 injured when Pakistan troops resorted to heavy shelling on border hamlets and military posts with 82 and 120 mm mortar bombs along the IB and LoC in Samba, Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

"BSF gave a calibrated retaliation on IB in response to unprovoked firing and shelling of Pakistan Rangers in area of Ramgarh and Arnia Sectors since morning," its DIG Dharmendra Pareek said.

"Since morning, BSF targeted Pakistan Rangers' posts across IB in the same sector and caused heavy damage to 14 Pakistani Posts," he said.

Earlier, Army sources said two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory firing along LoC opposite to Naushera sector of Rajouri district today.

Meanwhile, state government ordered closure of all 174 schools along the International Border in Jammu region.

There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC and IB in the state since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by the Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed the situation along the Indo-Pak border. The meeting, attended by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag and other top officials, took stock of the situation along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The top security brass briefed the Home Minister and the Defence Minister the steps taken to counter firing by Pakistani forces, official sources.