Ceasefire violations: Rajnath Singh orders BSF to retaliate to Pakistan with equal calibre

Zee Media Bureau Jammu: Even after it called for a meeting with India`s Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) over ongoing border tension, Pakistan continued to use long range weapons to target the Border Security Force (BSF) posts and villages in RS Pura and Arnia areas near the international border in Jammu district on Sunday. "Pakistan rangers used long range weapons to target almost all the BSF border outposts in RS Pura and Arnia in addition to villages close to the border in these areas," said a senior police officer. "Pakistan firing started at 10 pm last night and continued intermittently during the night. They fired at 12 BSF outposts in RS Pura and 10 in Arnia sectors," he added.

"Since Pakistan rangers are using long range weapons, 28 villages in these areas are directly in the line of Pakistan fire." "BSF troops are effectively retaliating and intermittent firing is still on," he said. Meanwhile, taking stock of the ceasefire violations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held discussions in this regard. He also ordered the BSF to retaliate with equal calibre to ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Shantmanu said the administration is prepared to accommodate at safer places possible migrants from border villages in these areas. "We are ready to meet any eventuality. Our contingency plans are in place to provide all possible relief to people who might move out of their villages if tensions escalate," the official said. Although the state government says only 1,000 villagers have so far moved out to safer accommodations, eye-witnesses in these areas say over 3,000 villagers have taken shelter at safe places out of villages in RS Pura and Arnia areas in Jammu. With Agency Inputs