Pakistan Rangers 'plead' with BSF to stop firing after trooper's death

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday said that the Pakistan Rangers have "pleaded" with them to stop firing along the International Border. The request comes after they were pounded with heavy artillery that also left a trooper dead across the border.

A 19-second thermal-imagery footage released by the border guarding force, shows the destruction of a Pakistani picket across the border in retaliation to the unprovoked firing and shelling along the International Border.

"(Pakistan) Rangers called up Jammu BSF formation today and beseeched to stop firing," a BSF spokesman told PTI on Sunday.

A senior official also claimed that the befitting reply by BSF units to the unprovoked shelling and firing across the IB by Pakistani forces has forced them to plead for a ceasefire. "For the last three days, the precision fire of BSF troopers on Pakistani firing locations inflicted heavy losses and yesterday this firing found their mark with one of the rangers in chicken neck area," the official said.

The BSF has also faced casualties in the unprovoked firing. It has lost two of its jawans in firing on the Jammu IB over the last few days. A number of civilians have also been killed and injured in the Jammu area due to this firing incident. The firing seemed to have been increased in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's day-long visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Over 700 incidents of fire and shelling have been reported along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) this year. 38 people including 18 security personnel have been killed and scores have been injured in these incidents.

(With PTI inputs)