Sources said that since Wednesday night, the Inadia BSF's (Border Security Forces) posts had been targeted by snipers from across the border.

A BSF constable named Gurnam Singh was hit by Pakistani fire this morning in Kathua, which is about 90 km from Jammu.

He was evacuated to Jammu while his colleagues provided cover with retaliatory firing at Pakistan. He is in critical condition in a Jammu hospital.

A "befitting reply" was given by the border-guarding force, it said in a statement which stressed it as "an aggressive offensive."

However, the Pakistan army has denied there have been any casualties on their side.

The action comes as India Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told the army it has the right to respond forcefully to provocation and to attacks on soldiers.

After 19 soldiers were killed at an army base in Uri in Kashmir last month, India crossed the Line of Control to target staging areas for terrorists.

Pakistan has denied the cross-border raids which came after PM Modi launched a global campaign to diplomatically isolate Pakistan.

Since the surgical strikes in Pakistan's Kashmir, cross-border firing has been increased substantially by Pakistan.

The India BSF said that on Wednesday night, it prevented a major infiltration and killed a terrorist.

SA - 12