Jammu: BSF troops deployed on the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir are on high alert following a threat of anti-social elements creating trouble on Republic Day, the force’s Inspector General DK Boora said on Monday.
The Border Security Force (BSF) had already announced two-week-long heightened vigilance along the border, he said.
Boora said troops have begun anti-tunnel operations along the International Border (IB) in the Jammu frontier.
“The BSF is ready to meet all challenges to foil any nefarious design. There is input that anti-national elements are likely to create trouble but we are on high alert along the border and in the hinterland (to foil their designs),” he said while speaking to reporters here.
He said BSF troops neutralized six intruders and apprehended three while trying to infiltrate through the India-Pakistan border last year.
It also seized 17 weapons, over 900 rounds of ammunition, 30 explosive devices and over 38 kg of narcotics in 2021, they said.
The BSF has relentlessly carried out anti-tunnel drives along the International Border, during which it detected two tunnels and made a huge dent in the infiltration attempts of militants from Pakistan, he said.
As much as 38.160 kg of narcotics, four AK-47 rifles, seven AK-47 magazines, 339 rounds of AK ammunition, 13 pistols, 32 pistol magazines, 371 pistol ammunition, 13 grenades, 233 other ammunition, 16 metres of cordtex wire (a kind of detonating wire), a wireless set, six mobile sets, a radio receiver, 13 detonators, 15 detonator fuses and four sticky mobs were among the recoveries made by the BSF along the International Border.
The troops also neutralized a Pakistani man who was trying to smuggle a consignment of narcotics from Kathua border. About 27.25 kg of drugs was seized from his possession, he said.
BSF Inspector General D K Boora said last year has been ‘achievement oriented’ with detection of tunnels and seizure of huge cache of arms, ammunition and narcotics.
“The aim of the anti-national elements to spread disharmony by carrying out nefarious activities stands thwarted. The BSF is fully prepared and has augmented its resources to rise up to the challenges in 2022,” he said.
Despite deployment in hostile areas as well as in sensitive and hyper-sensitive scenarios, the BSF has always stood up to the challenges with aplomb, Boora said.
Frontier headquarters of BSF Jammu mans about 192 km of the International Border with Pakistan. Its troops have also been deployed on the Line of Control along with the Indian Army in Naushera, Rajouri and Poonch sectors.
“As a result of robust domination and surveillance on the International Border, the Jammu International Border remained peaceful,” the BSF stated.
At the beginning of 2022, the troops scuttled a major militancy bid by recovering 4.950 kg of narcotics and a consignment of arms and ammunition in Arnia sector, the officials said.
The consignments comprised three AK rifles, five magazines, four pistols, seven pistol magazines and 21 rounds of ammunition, they said.
The BSF Jammu Frontier has also been at the forefront in assisting border population through various initiatives, they said.
