LG, BSF pay tributes
Jammu: A BSF head constable was killed in “unprovoked firing” by Pakistan Rangers along the International Border (IB) in the Ramgarh sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district early Thursday, officials said.
The firing targeting Border Outposts in the district is the third ceasefire violation in 24 days by Pakistan Rangers along the IB in the Jammu frontier, they said
BSF Head Constable Lal Fam Kima suffered injuries and was evacuated to a local hospital. He was later moved to the GMC Hospital in Jammu, the officials said.
The head constable succumbed to injuries, they said and that the 50-year-old was a resident of Aizawl in Mizoram.
His body has been shifted to GMC Hospital’s mortuary for postmortem.
“During night intervening 8/9 Nov 2023, Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing in Ramgarh area which was befittingly responded to by BSF troops,” the Border Security Force (BSF) said in a statement.
Ramgarh Community Health Centre Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dr Lakhwinder Singh said that one BSF jawan was injured in Pakistani firing and reported to the centre for treatment around 1 am.
Mohan Singh Bhatti of Jerda village said that the firing started around 12.20 am and later escalated into shelling. “A fear psychosis is prevailing along the IB due to firing and shelling,” he said.
On October 28, Pakistan Rangers indulged in heavy firing and shelling for around seven hours, resulting in injuries to two BSF jawans and a woman.
On October 17, two BSF personnel had been injured in firing by Pakistan in the Arnia sector.
It is the sixth overall violation since the two sides signed a ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Special Director General of BSF, P V Ramasastry have paid homage to the slain head constable.
Apart from them, Chief Secretary A K Mehta, Home Secretary R K Goyal, IGP Anand Jain, IG BSF D K Boora and Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar also paid tributes to the BSF jawan, Lal Fam Kima, at the frontier headquarters, Paloura camp, in Jammu.
During the wreath-laying ceremony, he was given full military honours by sounding of buggle and last salute. The jawans raised slogans hailing him, an official release said.
It said the mortal remains of Kima would be sent to his hometown Aizawl for the last rites with full military honour.
