Cross-border shelling: Students take class in bunker in Jammu’s Arnia sector
Shogpur (Jammu): Even as most schools in the shell-struck Arnia sector in Jammu district kept shut, a government middle school in the border belt of Shogpur remained open on Friday with students taking regular classes hiding in a bunker.
Pakistan rangers resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling Thursday night in Arnia and R S Pura sectors of Jammu district.
The offensive that targeted different forward areas along the International Border lasted about seven hours and resulted in injuries to 2 BSF personnel and a woman.
“We all were terrorised by the firing in the night. We were stuck. Our parents told us that we would move out in the morning. But we told them we had to study. I came to school despite my family’s fears,” Sunita Kumari, a student, said.
Between 15 and 20 students of her school were taken by teachers to a bunker built in the school complex.
“We felt safe when teachers shifted us to the bunker,” the student said.
The late night firing struck fear among the residents of Arnia, a small town near the India-Pakistan border.
“There was heavy firing last night. There was fear. But when the firing stopped, all teachers came to school on time,” said a teacher of the government middle school in Shogpur.
A female teacher said whenever there is heavy shelling, which she said has been frequent in the past few years, students are taught in the bunker.
There has been no directive by the education department or administration on the closure of schools, however, several schools have asked students to stay at home, officials said.
Meanwhile, the BSF said the unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers along the International Border in Jammu targeting Indian posts and civilian areas continued for close to seven hours.
In an official statement, the Border Security Force (BSF) said the Pakistan Rangers fired mortars and used heavy machine guns, leading to two non-fatal casualties.
BSF Constable Basva Raj suffered minor splinter injuries in both hands due to shelling. A local, Rajni Devi of Arnia, suffered minor injuries, it said.
The force said the Pakistani firing continued for close to seven hours, starting around 8 pm on Thursday and extending up to 2:45 am on Friday.
“BSF continues to monitor the developments closely while assessing the situation and remains alert to respond as necessary to ensure the safety and security of the border and its residents,” the force said.
It said following the start of unprovoked firing, BSF troops retaliated and subsequently Pak Rangers extended their firing to target its border posts adjacent to Arnia prompting retaliation from its forward defence posts in these areas.
At approximately 9:15 pm on Thursday, Pakistan Rangers started mortar firing targeting border outposts and civilian areas, the BSF said, adding some of the shells landed in Arnia town, resulting in minor injuries to a civilian.
“Around 10:40 pm on Thursday, Pakistan Rangers used heavy machine gun fire and targeted our posts. Around 1 am the Rangers again fired and targeted BSF posts, leading to an exchange of fire,” the statement said.
Firing continued till 2:45 am, it said.
The BSF said the condition of the injured jawan was stable while material damage was being ascertained.
The intermittent exchange of fire between Pakistani Rangers and BSF personnel along the International Border in Arnia and RS Pura sectors of Jammu district ended early Friday.
Scores of families that had fled the border hamlets overnight after the unprovoked firing by Pakistani Rangers have now started returning to their homes.
