At least six people, including four members of a family, were martyred and 22 seriously injured in unprovoked mortar shelling by Indian BSF on Sialkot border villages, Sucheetgarh, Charwah, Harpal, Bajra Garhi, Chaprar, Meraajkey and Khanoor.
According to senior officials of Punjab Rangers, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling on Sialkot border villages, targeting civilian population at the night between Thursday and Friday. The Indian shelling continued for the whole night and even at daytime intermittently.
The heavy mortar shells fired by the Indian BSF hit the house of a farmer, Noor Hussain, of village Khanoor (Meraajkey sector), killing four members of his family, Kalsoom Bibi, 42, Shama Naz, 18, Muskaan Bibi, 10, Ali Hamza, 14, on the spot. Noor Hussain himself sustained serious head injuries.
Indian mortar shells also killed Naveed Ahmed, 25, of village Harnaawali and Ahtesham Ahmed, 12, of village Sakroori (Harpal sector) along the Sialkot Working Boundary. The Indian mortar shells badly hit his house.
According to Rescue 1122, 22 persons were injured seriously by the mortar shells fired by Indian BSF. The injured were shifted to Sialkot Combined Military Hospital in critical condition.
Reportedly, people were busy in connection with Sehari preparation when BSF started unprovoked heavy mortar shelling on their villages. Dozens of cattle were also killed or injured by the Indian shelling.
Senior officials of Punjab Rangers said the Indian shelling created panic among the local people. The Rangers responded instantly and effectively, silencing the Indian guns.
Indian BSF targeted civilians in border villages, Punwal Chak, Punwal Khurd, Nandpur, Rangpur Jattan, Salehpur, Malaaney, Thathi, Jhumiyaan and nearby villages in Chaprar sector, Joiyaan, Anula, Harpal, Salaankey, Wahga, Khanor, Sangiyaal, Umeraanwali (in Harpal sector), Wainse, Daallowali, Kundanpur, Thathi, Meendarwal and surrounding villages (in Sucheetgarh Sector), Jarwal, Charwah, Merajkey, Akhnur, Dhamala, Haakimwala, Tulsipur, Lasso Chak, Bharthaal, Rangpur, Tandiyaal, Thakariyaal, Sangiyaal and surrounding villages of Charwah Sector along the working boundary.
According to local people, dozens of houses of the local villagers were badly damaged by the heavy mortar shells fired by the Indian BSF in Sialkot border villages. Rooftops, walls, balconies, floors and rooms of dozens of the houses, cattle sheds and school buildings were also damaged in Chaprar, Bajra Garhi, Harpal, Sucheetgarh and Charwah sectors.
The villagers told The Nation several mortar shells fired by Indian BSF also landed in the local fields, which did not explode.
Pak Army's Inter-Services Public Relations has confirmed the deaths of six persons, including four persons of a family, in Indian BSF shelling.
Meanwhile, the four martyrs of a family were laid to rest in their native graveyard at village Khanoor-Meerajkey.
Earlier, villagers staged demonstration against India by placing the bodies at the village chowk. They chanted anti-India slogans, asking the world to take serious notice of brutal killings on Sialkot border villages. Pakistan condemned the Indian brutality and lodged a strong protest over these killings.
INDIA CLAIMS 4 CIVILIANS, BSF JAWAN KILLED
Monitoring Desk adds: Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Occupied Kashmir on Saturday, the Border Security Force (BSF) claimed that one of its jawans and four civilians were killed in Pakistani troops firing along the International Border (IB) in Jammu's RS Pura and Arnia sectors.
