In the second ceasefire violation in the past 24 hours, Pakistani Rangers fired on a BSF patrol party along the International Border in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing a soldier and injuring another.

There was heavy firing by Pakistan on a patrolling party of BSF along IB in Suchtegarh forward belt in Samba sector, Inspector General, BSF, Jammu Frontier, Rakesh Sharma told PTI.

A BSF soldier was killed in the heavy firing, the IG said, adding that troops were on routine patrol when the firing took place.

The deceased soldier has been identified as Constable Sri Ram Gowria. Another jawan suffered minor injuries.

Sharma, who has rushed to the spot and is supervising the operation, said BSF troops took positions and gave a befitting reply which resulted in exchanges which are going on.

There has been firing in other areas in Kathua and Samba also.

This is the second ceasefire violation in the past 24 hours and the sixth in the past over one week.

Pakistan troops had resorted to firing on forward posts along the LoC in Pallanwala sector of Jammu district and Sepoy Amarjeet Singh was injured in the firing.

Pakistani troops had on Sunday violated the ceasefire twice along the border in Arnia forward belt of Jammu and Hiranagar belt of Kathua district.

On December 25, Pakistani Rangers indulged in unprovoked small arms firing in forward areas in Pansar border out post (BoP) belt of Hiranagar sub-sector in Kathua district.

On December 24, Pakistani troops had fired mortar shells and small arms targeting the same areas.

Over 550 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan took place this year, the highest since the truce came into force in 2003, with the Indo-Pak border witnessing the worst such escalation during August-October period which left 13 people dead and thousands displaced.

Source: IBN