Morning strikes by Pak military: JCO, BSF trooper among 7 killed
projectile debris found at many border areas
Jammu/Pathankot, May 10 (PTI): Seven persons, including a JCO and a BSF trooper, were killed and several others injured in mortar shelling and drone strikes by Pakistani military early Saturday in India's border districts where debris of unidentified projectiles were also found and a crater was formed in an agricultural field.
However, as the day was drawing to a close, India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect after four days of cross-border strikes that triggered fears of a wider conflict.
After witnessing intense cross-border shelling over the past three days, border residents heaved a sigh of relief.
After a night of bristling tension, India woke up Saturday to reports of sounds of explosions, drone attacks and mortar shelling coming in from Jammu and Kashmir and several places in Punjab.
BSF sub-inspector Mohammed Imteyaz was killed and seven others were injured in Pakistani firing along the International Border in Jammu's R S Pura sector.
Eight BSF personnel were injured in Pakistani shelling along the international border (IB) in Jammu's R S Pura sector. They are being treated at a military medical facility.
In Jammu's Rajouri, Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thapa and his two staff members were seriously injured when an artillery shell hit his official residence in the town, officials said.
They were shifted to the nearby Government Medical College where Thapa succumbed to injuries.
Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, laid down his life when a Pakistani artillery shell exploded near his post in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch this morning.
Two-year-old Aisha Noor and Mohd Shohib (35) were killed and three others injured in Pakistani shelling near an industrial area in Rajouri town, the officials said.
A 55-year-old woman named Rashida Bi also lost her life when a mortar shell hit her house at Kanghra-Galhutta village in Mendhar sector of Poonch district.
In another incident, Ashok Kumar alias Shoki, a resident of Bidipur Jatta village, was killed in cross-border firing in the R S Pura, the officials said.
Three more persons were also injured in intense shelling in Poonch and were evacuated to a hospital, they said, adding a local journalist was injured in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri.
Zakir Hussain (45) was killed and two others, including a girl, were injured in Pakistani shelling in Kheri Keran village of Bantalab in the outskirts of Jammu, the officials said.
Four persons were injured when artillery shells and suspected drones hit some residential areas in Jammu, including Rehari and Roop Nagar in Jammu city.
These strikes in the morning followed after Pakistan launched a wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday.
The locations included Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir, Ferozpur, Pathankot and Fazilka in Punjab, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan, and Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala in Gujarat.
In Punjab, debris of unidentified projectiles was found in Beas in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Pathankot and Dubli village in Tarn Taran districts.
In Gurdaspur's village Rajubela Chhichhran, residents said a crater -- around 35 feet wide and 15 feet deep -- was formed following a loud blast in the early hours of Saturday.
A police official said no one was hurt in the incident. However, there was damage to electrical wires in the incident.
After learning about the crater in the field, many curious villagers, including youngsters, reached the site and started clicking pictures on their mobile phones.
In Phagwara, an unidentified object fell in a field between Khalyan and Sahni villages in Phagwara district early Saturday, officials said.
Locals said an explosion-like sound was heard around 2.40 am from the fields at Khalyan village towards Sahni.
The impact of the unidentified object created a crater about 7-8 feet deep and 12-14 feet wide in the field, the officials said.
Some parts of the unidentified object were found lying scattered in the field.
Authorities have asked people not to touch any part of any unidentified projectile lying on ground and to inform local police about it.
An unidentified projectile also landed in a residential area at Kanganiwal village in Jalandhar district early morning.
The locals said a migrant labourer was injured in the incident, while a few houses in the area also sustained damages.
Pathankot went into alert mode after explosion-like sounds were heard in the border district early morning, with the local authorities ordering closure of markets in the region as a precautionary measure.
After a night of bristling tension, people woke up to explosion-like sounds in Pathankot and Jalandhar districts, while air sirens rang out in Hoshiarpur, Amritsar and Ferozepur amid a sharp upturn in the military conflict between India and Pakistan.
Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan.
In Haryana's Sirsa too, some locals claimed they heard blast-like sounds after midnight.
In Rajasthan, markets in Barmer and Jaisalmer remained closed during the day as a precautionary measure.
Multiple drone attacks were attempted by Pakistan on the night of Friday in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts. However, the drones were neutralized mid-air by the Indian defence forces.
Debris of suspected drones were found at different locations in Barmer and Jaisalmer district Saturday morning.
Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.
India shares a total of 3,323 km of border with Pakistan, divided into three parts: the International Border (IB), approximately 2,400 km from Gujarat to the northern banks of the Chenab river in Akhnoor, Jammu; the 740-km-long Line of Control (LoC), running from parts of Jammu to parts of Leh; and the Actual Ground Position Line, 110 km long, dividing the Siachen region from NJ 9842 to Indira Col in the north.
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
