In a brazen attempt to escalate tensions at the international border following the Nagrota attack, Pakistani troops resorted to tactics that reeked of a deliberate ploy to keep the border on boil at a time when the new Pakistani army chief general Qamar Bajwa took over the reins from Raheel Sharif. In his final speech, Sharif warned India against adopting an aggressive stance on Kashmir.
Top sources in BSF revealed that a late Monday night thermal imagery threw up movements of Pakistani troops giving cover to terrorists infiltration bids, which triggered an exchange of fire. The three terrorists took cover at a water pump where the quick reaction teams of the BSF cordoned them off and continued to engage in an exchange of fire till wee hours of Tuesday morning. One BSF personnel was injured in the incident.
However, when the firing stopped and the area was being sanitised, border troops at Chamliyal in Ramgarh sector of Jammu once again faced fire from across the international border. The BSF DIG supervising operations and two other constables sustained injuries.
"Normally during mopping up operations, both sides do not fire and senior officers are present on the spot. However, the Pakistani side did not show any restraint and indulged in indiscriminate firing," a top official said.
Officials on the ground added that Pakistani troops helped terrorist infiltration with mortar shelling and indiscriminate firing alongside the assault.
The three-pronged strategy reveals a desperate attempt by Pakistan to keep the border on the boil and escalate tension. In the last few weeks, multiple infiltration attempts have been made along the IB. Tuesdays recoveries showed heavy arms and ammunition being used by the terrorists including three AK-47s, large number of magazines and bullets, hand grenades and two rucksacks.
