Jammu, Oct 27 (IANS): Two Border Security Force (BSF) troopers and a woman were injured as many civilians abandoned their homes to take shelter in safe areas after Pakistan Rangers resorted to heavy firing and shelling along the International Border (IB) in Arnia and Suchetgarh sectors of Jammu district overnight.

In a statement, the BSF statement said: “Tonight at about 8 p.m. unprovoked firing started by Pakistan Rangers on BSF posts in Arnia area which is being befittingly retaliated by the BSF troops."

In Arnia sector, the firing targeted half a dozen forward villages after which the Pakistani troopers expanded firing to three villages of Suchetgarh sector.

Few mortar shells were also fired by the Rangers targeting civilian areas.

Police said heavy firing continued till 11 p.m. after which intermittent firing was on.

Two BSF jawans injured in the firing in Arnia sector. were identified as Basavraj SR (30) from Karnataka and Sher Singh.

The Injured woman was identified as Rajni Bala (38), wife of Balbir Singh, resident of Ward 5, Arnia.

The injured were evacuated and admitted in the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Jammu where their condition was said to be stable by attending doctors.

Panic gripped border dwellers as firing started from the Pakistan side.

A number of labourers, who had come to work in field, were the first to desert the villages to take shelter in safer areas.

Thursday’s round of firing and shelling by Pakistan rangers comes over a week after two BSF personnel were injured following unprovoked firing by the Rangers in the same sector on October 17.

India and Pakistan signed a ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021 to strictly observe ceasefire along the Line of Control and the IB in Jammu and Kashmir.