LAHORE – Punjab Rangers shot down two liquor smugglers near the Pak-India border in Wahga area after Friday midnight and captured another two with bullet wounds, officials sources said on Saturday.
The Rangers also claimed to have recovered huge quantity of liquor and contraband items from their possession. However, another two smugglers managed to escape from the area. They further claimed that the alleged smugglers opened fire on the Rangers men, triggering an encounter in the border area.
“When the firing was stopped, two smugglers were found shot dead while another two with bullet wounds,” Rangers sources said.
According to a Rangers spokesman, the personnel deployed at a picket close to Wahga border noticed some suspicious movement from Indian side. As the Rangers signalled them to stop, they opened fire on the security officers, who also retaliated.
The deceased were later identified as Kamran, a resident of Batapur and Syed Aqeel Shah, who belonged to Muridke. The police have removed the bodies to the City morgue for autopsy. “Investigations are under way to dig out further details,” the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, according to a press release issued by the Punjab Rangers, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) resorted to unprovoked firing in Pasrur sector on Saturday evening at about 7:30pm. The BSF targeted Punjab Rangers posts and border villages in Pakistani territory and used heavy weapons, creating fear and terror in their sector.
Rangers personnel also retaliated but the Indians stopped the gunfire after a considerable time. No casualty was reported in the firing. Local residents believed that the Indian BSF has been resorting to unprovoked firing alongside the working boundary in different border sectors in frustration since the Indian tunnel propaganda against Pakistan backfired.