Heavy exchange of fire at IB Arun Gupta JAMMU, Dec 21: With no let up in infiltration attempts from across the border, suspected militants, this evening, made an unsuccessful infiltration bid on International Border in Samba district.
The intruders opened heavy volume of firing from across the border at Border out Post (BoP) SM Pura near Chamliyal in Ramgarh sector.
However, the fire was effectively retaliated by alert Border Security Force (BSF) jawans and a high alert was sounded along the IB from RS Pura to Kathua sector.
Official sources said that unidentified armed assailants opened indiscriminate firing from across the border upon BoP SM Pura.
Using small arms fire, they targeted the BSF forward post initially at 7 PM which was repulsed by BSF jawans.
However, the exchange of heavy volume of fire initially continued for 20 minutes.
Again after a lull of at-least two hours, militants made another bid to infiltrate under the cover of fire at 9 PM.
By that time additional reinforcement of BSF also rushed the forward post and they repulsed the attack effectively.
Later at 11.30 PM, the intruders again opened fire with their automatic weapons few meters away from the fence on Pakistani side.
A heavy exchange of fire took place between the intruders and BSF jawans.
The whole area was lit by the BSF so as to identify the exact location of the armed assailants on other side of the fence.
The intruders were firing intermittently till late in the night when reports last came in.
Official sources said that militants were launched by the Pakistan Rangers from village Saidanwali opposite BoP SM Pura, located near famous shrine of Baba Chamliyal after dusk this evening.
Taking advantage of darkness and chilled weather conditions, the intruders reached near the fence and opened indiscriminate fire.
The alert jawans, sources maintained, foiled their bid and forced them to retrieve.
They not allow them to breach the fence.
Sources, however, not denied ceasefire violation saying that such a heavy attack from the other side is not possible without the assistance of Pakistan Rangers.
Sources, not ruled out direct hand of Pakistan Rangers in facilitation of this intrusion attempt.
However, no causality or injury has been reported from BSF side and the exchange of fire was still going on.
People living near the IB in samba sector were panicked over the firing incident.
Fearing sneaking of intruders into the Indian territory they preferred to stay inside their houses.
One of the local informed on telephone that heavy exchange of fire as well as UBGL grenades took place on the border creating fear among them since evening.
Army and police also rushed near the SM Pura Post.
The surrounding areas were completely plugged by the police and army and fresh ambushes were laid at porous routes.
The nakas and ambushes were re-adjusted to neutralize the intruders in case they manage to sneak in.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Samba Thakur Raghbir Singh along with other senior officers of border district was camping in the area.
Singh, when contacted, confirmed firing on the IB.
He averred that the armed assailants initially fired at 7 PM and then at 9 PM and again at 11.30 PM.
The exchange of fire was in progress was in progress till midnight, he added.
SSP Samba, who was present at Police Station Ramgarh at midnight, informed that a high alert has been sounded in the whole district and nakas were strengthened with increase in vigil at all the roads linking the border with rest of towns and Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.
Reinforcements had been called from different areas and the security along the highway has also been beefed up, he added.
"We are fully prepared to meet any eventuality and our cops on toes," Singh maintained.
As reported, three incidents of firing on International Border in Kathua and Samba districts on Saturday night.
Unidentified gunmen fired at three Outposts of Bobiya and Londi in Kathua district and Chandma BoP in Samba district on Saturday night.
The fire was effectively retailed by the BSF jawans thus foiling possible infiltration bids.
BSF on Sunday lodged a protest with Pakistani Rangers over the incidents of firing on International Border in Kathua and Samba districts.
One BSF jawan lost his life while two others were injured in similar incident at Kranti forward post in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district on Saturday morning.
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