BSF jawan injured after Pakistan troops resort to unprovoked firing in Akhnoor sector of Jammu

A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel was injured in the Akhnoor area of Jammu on Wednesday when Pakistani troops engaged in unprovoked firing on Indian posts, violating a ceasefire agreement along the border.

The BSF personnel retaliated, but officials said that casualties on the Pakistani side were not immediately known.

“On 11 Sept 2024 at about 02:35 AM, incident of unprovoked firing in Akhnoor area from across the border happened and which was befittingly responded by the BSF. One BSF personnel sustained injuries in Pak firing. Troops are on high alert,” BSF said in a statement.

Ceasefire violations between the two countries have been rare since India and Pakistan renewed their ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.

A BSF jawan was killed last year in firing by Pakistan Rangers in the Ramgarh sector, marking the first loss of life on the Indian side in over three years.

The violation of the ceasefire agreement comes days before the first phase of the three-phase assembly elections, scheduled for September 18. The second phase will be held on September 25, followed by the third phase on October 1.

The Union government has mobilised paramilitary forces ahead of the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade, especially against the backdrop of a spurt in terror attacks in the hilly and rugged Jammu region since June.

As many as 60 to 80 terrorists are believed to have infiltrated the Jammu region in March-April this year. Pakistan has sought to push more terrorists prompting security forces to go all out in counter-insurgency operations.

BSF director general Daljit Singh visited the Jammu border on August 22 for a security review. The Union government has retained around 450 companies of paramilitary forces sent to Jammu and Kashmir for the annual Amarnath Yatra. Nearly 450 additional companies have been sent for poll duty.