Minister Rajnath Singh today called an urgent meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to review the overall situation in the wake of fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border in Jammu and Kashmir.
The high-level meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held at the Home Ministry in the North Block with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in attendance.
Sources said Singh has called for the meeting to undertake a complete review of the emerging situation and in the backdrop of hectic developments on the security and diplomatic fronts on the issue in the last two days.
Border Security Force (BSF) Director General D K Pathak also met Doval at his office earlier in the day and briefed him about the ground security situation along the border, they said.
The latest developments come barely a week after Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met in Russia breaking the deadlock and deciding to re-engage.
The two neighbours, however, were back to a blame game today over ceasefire violations with both sides lodging protests.
While India lodged protests with Pakistan both in New Delhi and in Islamabad, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest over "air space violation" by an alleged Indian "spy" drone near the line of Control and "ceasefire violation".
Along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani Rangers today indulged in heavy firing and mortar shelling on five border outposts and some villages in Jammu district which left four persons injured, a day after a woman was killed in the ceasefire violations prompting India to lodge protests with Pakistan.
There have been a total of nine ceasefire violations during July. A woman, Poli Devi, was killed and six others, including two BSF jawans, were injured yesterday in firing and mortar shelling in Jammu district by Pakistan Rangers.
The latest round of ceasefire violations come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Jammu tomorrow to attend the centenary celebrations of former state Finance Minister Girdhari lal Dogra.
Pak troops target India at various places along IB, loC
Jammu: Pakistani troops today pounded a number of places along the International Border and line of Control (loC) in Jammu region with heavy firing and mortars, leaving four persons injured and triggering fear among the villagers, officials said.
India lodged a protest with Pakistan while the Indian troops retaliated "effectively" to the cross-border firing which came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Jammu tomorrow.
The army early this morning also foiled an infiltration bid along the loC in Poonch district by a group of militants trying to enter the Indian side, the defence spokesman said.
BSF officials said Pak Rangers have increased the arch of firing and shelling from Kanachak-Akhnoor sector to RS Pura sector now.
"Pakistani Rangers resorted to small arms firing and mortar shelling along IB in R S Pura sector of Jammu district since 0115 hours today," a BSF officer said.
They targeted five border outposts (BoPs) and some civilian areas in RS Pura and Tawi forward belts, firing 81 mm mortar shells around 0350 hours, he said.
"BSF troops guarding the border line retaliated effectively and the firing exchange continued till 0530 hours today," he said adding four persons were injured in Brewa village.
The Pakistan army also violated ceasefire along the line of Control (loC) in Poonch sector, firing at various posts of the Indian army, an army officer said.
He said the Pakistan army used small arms and mortar shells to target Indian positions on this side of the loC.
The Indian side retaliated to the fire.
According to government sources, India lodged protest both in Islamabad as well as in Delhi over the incident.
"Our High Commissioner in Islamabad raised the issue with the Pakistan Foreign Office and Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi was also conveyed India's concerns regarding ceasefire violation in which one woman was killed and some people injured," they said in Delhi.
Due to firing and shelling, fear has returned to haunt the border residents in Jammu who were hopeful that the recently held talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Russia would bring peace dividends for them.
Troops guarding the border also foiled an infiltration attempt in Poonch as they fired upon a group of militants who were trying to sneak in, the defence spokesman said.
There have been nine ceasefire violations during July. A woman, Poli Devi, was killed and six others, including two BSF jawans, were injured yesterday in firing and mortar shelling in Jammu district by Pakistan Rangers.
On July 9, Pakistani troops fired at a forward border post in North Kashmir killing a BSF jawan, an incident that came on the eve of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Russia.
The latest round of firing comes ahead of Modi's scheduled visit Jammu tomorrow to attend the centenary celebrations of former state Finance Minister Girdhari lal Dogra.