BSF says 7 Pakistani Rangers killed after an infiltration bid foiled in Kathua; Pakistan denies claims

The Border  Security Force (BSF) said on Friday that at least seven Pakistani rangers and a militant were killed and three others sustained injuries in retaliatory firing by Indian troops in Kathua along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir. "During the intermittent firing of small arms and area weapon, one militant and seven Rangers were shot dead," ANI quoted the BSF as saying.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has denied the claims. “Indian claim of hitting or killing any Pak soldier/Ranger with firing at anytime today at LOC/ working bdry absolutely false,” DG Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Pakistan, General Asim Bajwa said.

“Pakistan Rangers befittingly responded. No loss on Pak side. Indians resorted to unprovoked firing in Shakargarh sector today,” he added.

The BSF's response came hours after one of its jawan was injured in firing by the Pakistani troops at the Bobiya post in Hiranagar sector of the state.  Pakistan Rangers, the border force of Pakistan, resorted to sniper attacks at Indian posts at Hira Nagar in Kathua at around 9.35 AM, BSF said.

The Indian border guarding force launched an aggressive offensive against the Pakistani firing, BSF said in a release, adding seven Rangers and a terrorist were shot dead in the retaliatory firing.

Seeking to suggest that the killings had been corroborated by Pakistani media, the BSF said "source input" claimed that a media organisation in that country was running a news item about death of 5 Rangers.

The strong response by the BSF came after one of Constables Gurnam Singh was injured in a sniper fire attack by Pakistani Rangers this morning in the same area.

Singh, whose condition is considered to be critical, was evacuated with the cover fire to Government Medical College, Jammu.

Earlier in the morning, the Indian Army and the state police launched a massive search operation to weed out a terror hideout in Baramulla in Kashmir Valley.

During intermittent firing of small arms and area weapon one militant and seven Rangers were shot dead: BSF

— ANI (@ANI_news) October 21, 2016