Yusuf Jameel
The two sides exchanged heavy gunfire at least at two places along the International Border near Jammu, leaving one Indian jawan injured. Also, BSF personnel, who should have been busy celebrating Republic Day, had to be on their toes before, according to BSF officials, they actually foiled two infiltration bids by suspected militants from across the border.
In contrast to these hostile incidents, Pakistani and Indian troops exchanged pleasantries and sweets to mark India’s Republic Day at two different sites along the Line of Control in the Kashmir Valley.
BSF officials said the latest ceasefire violation, the sixth in succession, took place in Kanachak sub-sector, 25 km from winter capital Jammu, at about 2 am on Tuesday when the Pakistan Rangers opened fire, apparently to give cover to militants who used the thick fog to intrude into Indian territory. But BSF personnel deployed at the nearby Alfa Machail border outpost, on picking up the movement of infiltrators, challenged them. During the ensuing exchange of fire, the Pakistani border guards also stepped in but the BSF did not allow their strategy to succeed.
According to the BSF, the Pakistani border guards again resorted to heavy firing in the same area at about 6.15 am on Tuesday but the fire was returned. During the exchange of fire one BSF head constable, P. Thomas, was injured. The authorities put the Army on alert to assist the BSF as heavy exchanges of fire continued for several hours and ended at about noon.
Yet another infiltration bid by suspected militants was made in the Tent-Beli Azmath forward area, also in Kanachak sub-sector, early on Tuesday. But this too was foiled by alert BSF personnel, officials said, adding that the exchanges of fire continued for nearly one-and-a-half hours before militants fled back into Pakistani territory in the thick fog. Confirming the incidents, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Kuldeep Khoda told reporters in Jammu that in the first instance the intensity of firing was initially huge and later died down a bit. "We are watching the situation. Our forces are there and things are well under control right now," he said.
But at Kaman Post in Uri sector, and at Teetwal in Karnah sector along the LoC, Pakistani troops extended greetings and exchanged sweets with Indian soldiers. Similar brief get-togethers were held also at Chakan-da-Bagh and Tatapani in Poonch and Mendhar sectors along the de facto border. At Teetwal, a large number of residents of a PoK village had also gathered on the banks of the Kishan Ganga river, which draws the dividing line here, to witness a Republic Day ceremonial function organised jointly by the Army and the civilian authorities. At Kaman post, after the Republic Day function organised by 12 Infantry Brigade and 4 Jat Regiment, Army officer Rajesh Sethi and a group of soldiers walked towards Pakistani troops to present them sweets. The Pakistanis greeted them and returned to their post, said the officials.