BSF lodges protest with Pakistan Rangers over border firing (Update-Border Firing)

Jammu, May 9 : Border Security Force (BSF) officers on Friday lodged a strong protest with their Pakistani Ranger counterparts during a flag meeting at the Bangalard border outpost over the heavy firing in the Samba sector in violation of a cease-fire arrangement that has been in place since November 25, 2003

"BSF authorities met their counterparts at company commander level flag meeting at Bangalard border out post this morning and lodged a strong protest with them over heavy firing at the post," BSF sources said.

During the meeting, which lasted for about fifteen minutes, the BSF company commander gave details of the firing pattern from Pakistani side on its Border Observation Post (BOP) while the Pakistan authorities denied their involvement and blamed the infiltrating militants for it, they said.

While BSF raised the point of violation of the Indo-Pak border truce, the Pakistani Rangers denied it, they added.

Another flag meeting at the DIG level is to be held later today at the Octerio BOP in R S Pura border belt of Jammu District, in which formal protest letter would be written to the Pakistani Rangers over the incident, they said.

The border observation post of the BSF in the Sambha Sector came under heavy firing late on Thursday night from the Pakistani side. The incident took place at 22.30 p.m. hours when a BOP of 112 battalion of the BSF came under intense fire from Pakistani side, official sources said.

Giving details, they said that an ambush party of BSF detected a group of intruders trying to infiltrate into BAnglard yesterday and they opened fire to foil the bid.

Another support party of the intruders resorted to firing on BOP to save the intruders and the exchange between two sides continued for about 15 minutes, they said.

The suspected militants fired nearly 1000 rounds and hurled 16 grenades at the BSF post, they said.

There were no immediate reports of causality from the Indian side, which retaliated, the sources said, adding there was no evidence so far of direct involvement of Pakistani rangers in the incident. (ANI with inputs)

ANI