Within hours of the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan, reports of shelling started coming in along the Line of Control in Sunderbani and Nowshera sectors of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday night.
While defence officials did not comment on the development, police confirmed that the shelling began around 8:30 pm.
Within ten minutes, sirens started blaring in Udhampur, followed by a complete blackout, while residents said they heard loud sounds.
Earlier in the day, the Border Security Force destroyed a terrorist launch pad in Pakistan’s Sialkot district opposite Akhnoor sector, even as Pakistan continued targeting the civilian population in province with artillery shelling and loitering munitions.
“On May 9, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu Sector. BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary,” an official statement here.
“The terrorist launchpad at Looni, district Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, was completely destroyed by the BSF,” it said, reiterating BSF’s “resolve to protect India’s sovereignty is unshaken”.
A BSF sub-inspector was, however, killed and seven others injured in cross-border shelling. “We salute the supreme sacrifice made by BSF braveheart sub-inspector Md Imteyaz in service of the nation on May 10 during cross-border firing along the International Boundary in RS Pura area, District Jammu,” the BSF said.
“While leading a BSF border outpost, he gallantly led from the front,” it said. “DG BSF and all ranks offer their deepest condolences to his family”.
Between Friday and Saturday, before the ceasefire, Jammu also saw the death of five civilians, including a senior Jammu Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) officer, Raj Kumar Thappa, as Pakistani troops targeted multiple locations in Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Samba and Udhampur districts. Nearly a dozen people were also injured, including some seriously.
