JAMMU: Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire for almost 30 minutes after border security force (BSF) collected suspicious movement along the international border in the Samba district of Jammu and cashmereauthorities said Sunday.
No one was injured in the shooting that began around 11:45 p.m. Saturday in the Mangu Chak border post (BOP) area of Ghagwal sector, officials said.
They said that BSF troops deployed to BOP Mangu Chak observed the movement of three or four people near the Pakistani Pir Bunker post and opened fire after they were seen moving this way under cover of darkness.
Pakistani Rangers retaliated, and the exchange of small arms fire between the two sides continued for about half an hour, officials said, adding that suspiciously moving people returned to the Pakistani side amid the shooting.
A BSF official confirmed the incident, saying that a mass search operation was launched this morning to disinfect the area.
“The search operation is underway, but so far no incriminating material has been recovered,” the official said.
There has been an increase in the launching of weapons from the air by drones and the smuggling of narcotics along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) amid frequent ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir during the last weeks.
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