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Pakistan Rangers recently fired upon vllagers residing in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir . The Rangers have violated a cease-fire pact twice in less than 24 hours, injuring two personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF). District administration officials accompanied by senior army and BSF commanders visited the spot to assess the situation and initiate follow-up action. The Pakistan Rangers, have in the past, exchanged fire almost daily from across the frontier. They targeted a border outpost (BOP) of the BSF on the international border (IB) at around 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Dharam Chand, a witness to the violation, said that the Pakistan Rangers opened firing, which continued well past midnight. The Deputy Commissioner of Kathua District, Zahida Khan, who visited the Hirnagar sector, confirmed news of the unprovoked firing, and added that it has created fear among villagers, so much so that they are demanding relocation and rehabilitation. “The villagers are perpetually living under threat of death as they are unaware when the firing would begin. Although there is peace in the area now, due to the abrupt firing, which takes place at unexpected hours, people are living in fear. The families living near the border areas from where they can see border outposts and trenches across the border have demanded their rehabilitation,” said Zahida Khan. Officiating Inspector General of the Border Security Force, Narinder, said: “Unprovoked firing began from Pakistan side at around 7.30 p.m. in the evening and we fought back. It is easy to figure out the cause for the firing. We had detected a tunnel in the Samba region a few days back, which has mounted pressure on them. They are trying to divert our attention by firing at different places.” On August 5, Pakistani soldiers had targeted another installation in R S Pura sector in Jammu without any provocation. Ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought three wars since 1947, were frozen when Pakistan-based militants attacked Mumbai in 2008, killing 166 people. India has long accused Pakistan of backing militants fighting Indian security forces in Kashmir . But on its part, Pakistan says it supports a freedom struggle by the people of Kashmir against what is viewed as the brutal and illegitimate Indian occupation of the region.

Pakistan Rangers violate ceasefire, fires at Indian post