News

BSF launches major drive to detect cross-border tunnels


Date:- 28 Apr 2022


Two fidayeen who carried out terror attack at Sunjuwan on outskirts of Jammu City on April 22 ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, had crossed Daig Nullah along Indo-Pak border at village Supwal in Samba district and trekked some distance to board a truck waiting for them.

Three persons including two truck operators arrested by Jammu Police in connection with Sunjuwan attack have disclosed during questioning that the militants entered into this side from Daig Nullah along Indo-Pak border between Vijaypur and Samba.
However, the arrested persons were not aware as to whether the militants crossed through an underground tunnel or breached fencing.
Meanwhile, SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli said police today recovered a blue-coloured grenade from the house where two fidayeen were eliminated.
Both the fidayeen were killed in a five-hour long operation at Sunjuwan in which a CISF ASI was martyred while 10 security personnel were injured.
Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a massive drive to detect cross-border tunnels along the International Border in the Jammu sector.

The BSF said it is alive to the threat posed by the enemy forces and anti-national elements and is maintaining “robust domination and surveillance” to keep the borders and the people of the country safe.
A senior BSF officer said no breaches in the border fence were noticed during the stepped up operations which also saw the troops looking for underground cross-border tunnels all along the IB over the past five days.
The BSF is manning about 192 km of IB and Line of Control (LoC) alongside the Army and is keeping a tight vigil to scuttle any attempt of infiltration of terrorists, smuggling of weapons and narcotics and drone activity from across the border, he said.
“Anti-tunnel drives along the IB are a regular feature to frustrate the nefarious designs of the enemy nation. The drive is presently underway within 400 meters of the border fence all along the IB in Jammu sector,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.
Last year, the BSF detected two tunnels across the international border in Kathua district, taking the total number of such structures unearthed by the force in the past decade in Jammu sector to 10.
“The BSF is keeping a tight vigil on border in view of the continuous attempts by enemy forces and anti-national elements to push terrorists and smuggle weapons and narcotics. The threat posed by the use of drones by Pakistan is also being taken care of,” the officer said.

Interacting with media persons visiting the International Border amid the ongoing operation, another BSF officer said they are checking the whole area manually and also using sophisticated gadgets to eliminate any threat.
“Wherever we have a doubt, the area is being checked minutely and a round-the-clock vigil is maintained. The BSF is also patrolling the area with special equipment which detect even the slightest movement of small animals,” he said.
With the mercury in Jammu hovering around 40 degrees Celsius for the past few days, the officer said, “It is a routine for us to perform our duties in scorching heat, severe cold conditions and rainy season. We are trained for that and we do it routinely to keep our nation and the countrymen safe.”
Admitting that the search and vigil along the IB have been intensified after the recent encounter in Jammu, another jawan said, “They always perform their duties with full responsibility. Over the past few days, there has been an increase in duty hours due to intensified operations.”
The BSF personnel were seen patrolling the area along the border fence and also using iron rods to check wild grass and bushes for the possible underground tunnel.
“The anti-tunnel drive is going on up to 400 meters from the border fence. The tunnels have been dug in the past from the Pakistan side to push terrorists. We are alive to the threat and the anti-tunnelling operation is part of our duty,” he said.
He said they are making every effort to keep the borders safe and ensure no infiltration takes place. “If the borders are safe, our countrymen are safe as well.”
Besides detecting two tunnels, the BSF killed five infiltrators, detained three others and recovered a huge cache of weapons, narcotics and fake currency notes last year.

Courtesy: Daily Excelsior: 27th April , 2022