BSF jawan dies as gun explodes while responding to Pak firing

Pakistani troops on Saturday targeted Indian security positions in Kathua, RS Pura and Keran sectors along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, injuring a Border Security Force jawan while another BSF jawan was killed accidentally while retaliating to the cross-border shelling and firing.

A BSF jawan was injured in fresh shelling by Pakistan troops in Keran sector, a senior official of the force said.

He said the jawan was admitted to a medical facility for treatment.

"The unprovoked Pakistani aggression is being effectively retaliated," he added.

A woman Shaheena Begun was injured in Keran sector along the LoC in Kashmir in shelling by Pakistani troops on Saturday morning, officials said.

They said the Indian army retaliated the "unprovoked" Pakistani aggression "in equal measure".

Pakistan Rangers also indulged in cross-border firing and shelling in RS Pura and Kathua sectors along the International Border.

BSF constable Nitin Subhash Koli sustained grievous injuries on Friday evening when an explosion inside the chamber of the long range weapon led to a recoil while he was firing in retaliation to ceasefire violation from across the LoC in Machchil sector, BSF IG-Kashmir Vikash Chandra said.

"Subhash was injured due to recoil and was admitted to a medical facility where he succumbed late last night," the official said.

Initially, a top BSF official had said that the jawan was killed in firing by Pakistani troops.

Subhash, 28, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.

In Macchil sector, terrorists, aided by the cover fire by Pakistani Army, had on Friday night crossed the Line of Control in the sector. They killed an Indian army jawan and mutilated his body prompting the Indian Army to warn that "the incident will be responded to appropriately".

Four army and three BSF personnel have died in the latest escalation along the boundary with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

In Friday night's attack, one militant was also killed.

IMAGE: A villager showing remains of mortar shells fired from across the LoC by Pakistan at a village Mankot Poonch district in Jammu on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo