BSF on high alert along IB following inputs: IG Jammu

BSF troops deployed on the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir have been put on high alert following a threat of anti-social elements creating trouble on Republic Day, the force’s Inspector General for Jammu DK Boora said on Monday.

He also said that the Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a number of operations along the International Border, including anti-drone exercises and those related to detecting tunnels.

The BSF is also conducting joint patrolling with the army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police to thwart nefarious attempts of terrorists, Boora said.

“There is input that anti-national elements are likely to create trouble (in connection with Republic Day) but we are very, very alert on and along the border, including the Line of Control (LoC),” he said.

“We have heightened our vigil on the border extensively,” the inspector general (IG) told reporters here.
Boora said intelligence inputs clearly point towards the possibility of some activities from across the border.

“We have got inputs (that such activities) like infiltration or induction of weapons, ammunition, explosives and its assembling inside our area or drug smuggling (can take place). But we are on high alert and we will not allow anyone to succeed in these nefarious designs,” he said.

Keeping in mind the present security scenario and intelligence inputs ahead of Republic Day, the BSF is carrying out extensive anti-tunnelling drives, special patrolling and depth area domination despite extremely hostile weather conditions.

“We had planned these activities, which are being conducted on the border. Maximum number of troops and officers are present on the border. We have declared two weeks long heightened vigil on the border and extensively carrying out operations along the border, including anti-tunnelling exercises and anti-drone exercises,” Boora said.

“To strengthen border domination, mobilisation of troops has been done. Regular monitoring of suspicious activities of counterparts is being carried out through surveillance equipment,” he said.

The IG said that joint patrolling and exercises are also being conducted along with the army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police to scuttle any nefarious attempts of anti-social elements.
He said that “during this period, every year, there is a stress on the security situation along the borders.”

“But we are here to meet all the challenges and pre-empt the nefarious designs of anti-national elements (ANEs), which try to be out-spoken in our celebrations,” Boora said

He said that BSF is confident that the ANEs and militants will not succeed in whatever plans they have.

“Our own kind of resources that are human resources and technical resources are in place. We are confident that we will be able to meet the challenges very effectively,” he added.

The IG assured people residing along the border and hinterland that they have nothing to fear as the BSF are very alert on the border.

“We will do everything that it takes to ensure the safety and security of the people,” he added.
BSF troops deployed on the International Border in Jammu have been quite successful and consistent in foiling attempts from across the border by eliminating Pakistani intruders, seizing huge caches of arms, ammunition, narcotics and detecting tunnels in the past one year, Boora said.

He also informed that the 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, they 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 officials said.

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, they said.

The BSF troops also seized about 10.93 kg of narcotics from Akhnoor along with fake Indian currency with a face value of Rs 2,75,000, they 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.

Meanwhile Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF) Kashmir frontier Raja Babu Singh Monday said that post ceasefire agreement last year, the overall situation on Kashmir LoC remained peaceful but the fresh intelligence inputs suggest that 104 to 135 militants are ready to sneak into this side. He also said that some guides have crossed over to the other side of LoC and their movement and their families are under constant watch of security agencies.

Addressing the annual conference at BSF headquarters at Humhama on city outskirts, the IG BSF for Kashmir Frontier said that post ceasefire agreement in February last year, the situation has been peaceful on the LoC. “But our inputs suggest that there are 104 to 135 militants at the launch pads, who are ready to infiltrate into this side,” the IG BSF said.

He said that there are also reports that some guides have crossed over to the other side of the LoC. “Their movement is being tracked and their families are under constant watch. The primary job of the guide is to bring groups of militants along,” he said.

Asked about the drone threats on LoC, the IG BSF said that it guards 96 kms of LoC in Kashmir and the drone threat was real. “We are procuring our own drones to counter the drone threat. Besides, a series of measures are in place to deal with drone threats,” he said.

He said that last year 17.3 kg heroin worth Rs 88 Crore were seized on the LoC by BSF and all efforts are being made to foil bids aimed at transporting narcotics from LoC. He said that Taliban takeover in Afghanistan last year hasn’t affected J&K in any form so far, but “security agencies are monitoring situation closely.”