Rockets fired into India from Pak

Amritsar: Border Security Force (BSF) troopers fired from machine-guns and automatic weapons after suspected terrorists fired seven rockets into Punjab's Amritsar district but there were no casualties, officials said on Saturday.

The rockets were found in an agricultural field near Kangarh chowki (post) in Attari sector early Saturday.

BSF troopers retaliated with machine-gun and automatic weapons into Pakistan from the area where the rocket blasts were heard between 0200 hrs IST and 0300 hrs IST Saturday.

Punjab frontier Inspector General of Police (IGP) Himmat Singh said there were no casualties reported in the border area even though five rockets landed near a village and two rockets landed near the BSF post.

BSF officials held talks with the Pakistani Rangers and lodged a strong protest over the incident.

"Our troopers fired back. Senior officers have already reached the spot and investigations are on. We had a meeting with our Pakistani counterparts and have lodged a strong official protest," Singh said.

A thick fog was hampering efforts by the Border Security Force to find out if more rockets had been fired, BSF officials said.

This is the third incident of rockets, suspected to be fired by Pakistan-based terrorists into India. The last two incidents happened in Pul Kanjari area of the international border between both countries in July and September last year.

The BSF had protested then also but the Pakistani side denied that any rockets were fired from their territory.

Terrorists linked to Taliban and al-Qaeda in Pakistan had attacked a police training centre, located between Lahore city and Wagah border, just 12 km from Attari, March last year, killing 20 personnel and injuring 150 others.

The incident had raised concern in India that Pakistan-based terrorists had been able to reach so close to the Indian border. The following incidents of rocket firing into India from Pakistan have made those fears come true, despite the Pakistani denial.

The BSF mans the International Border on the Indian side with the Pakistan Army's Pakistan Sutlej Rangers man the Pakistani side.

India has erected an electrified barbed-wire fencing on its side of the international border all the 553-km Indo-Pak border in Punjab.