Indian border guard killed in skirmishes with Pakistan troops on Kashmir border

An Indian border guard belonging to Border Security Force (BSF) was killed and another wounded in skirmishes with Pakistan troops on International Border (IB) in Kashmir, officials said Monday.

The two sides fired mortars and resorted to heavy firing in R S Pora sector about 45 km southwest of Jammu city, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Pakistan's forces last night started unprovoked shelling targeting BSF posts as well as civilian areas in Abdullian, Karotana Khurd, Arnia and Tubewell areas of RS Pura," an official said.

"Two BSF soldiers were wounded. Though they were evacuated to a hospital in Jammu where one of them succumbed."

India's official broadcaster All India Radio said three civilians including a woman were also wounded in shelling from Pakistan.

Reports of similar exchange of fire was reported from Kanachak, Pawgwal, Garkgwal and other areas of adjoining Akhnoor sector.

On Sunday, a border guard succumbed in the hospital at Jammu. He was wounded on Friday.

Last week Indian border guards claimed it killed seven Pakistan Rangers personnel in skirmishes on International Border, but the claim has been rejected by Pakistan.

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on 720 km-long Line of Control (LoC) and 198 km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a cease-fire.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated because of the ongoing civilian protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir that saw around 90 civilians dead and over 12,000 others injured.

The situation worsened between New Delhi and Islamabad following a militant attack on Uri army camp last month that left 19 troopers dead and subsequent claims of Indian military that it carried out "surgical strikes" inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir inflicting significant casualties on infiltrators and their supporters.

Pakistan, however, rejected Indian claims about "surgical strikes".

The past several weeks have seen a surge in skirmishes on LoC and border between the two countries.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

New Delhi blames Islamabad for fanning Kashmir protests and accuses it of sending armed militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir, an accusation Islamabad strongly rejects. Islamabad says it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit