BSF Troops stationed along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir have become biggest victims of cross-border firing. In 2018, 12 BSF Troopers were killed along the India-Pakistan border, recording a massive jump from previous figures. This is the highest casualty figure recorded in the last six years.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju revealed the figures in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday while responding to a question on the matter.
The death of personnel deployed along the IB takes place mainly because of unprovoked firing by Pakistan. Last year, two BSF personnel lost their lives due to cross-border firing, and in the previous year, three soldiers of the Border Security Force (BSF) lost their lives at the IB.
The casualty figures were similar in the year 2015, 2014 and 2013, when one, two and two soldiers were killed, respectively. Until June, the government recorded more than 320 incidents of unprovoked firing at the IB, which led to 37 soldiers getting injured.