Jammu: Inspector General BSF Jammu Frontier D K Boora on Monday said Border Security Force troops were put on high alert on the International Border ahead of Republic Day celebrations.
Addressing reporters here, the IG Jammu Frontier D K Boora said, “High alertness is being observed since last week keeping in view the forthcoming Republic Day and security situation to deal with any nefarious attempt of anti-national elements from across the border.”
Being the first line of defence, the Frontier Headquarter of BSF Jammu is manning about 192 km of International Border with Pakistan. It also has deployment on the Line of Control (LoC) along with the Indian army in Nowshera in Rajouri and Poonch sector.
“BSF is carrying out extensive anti-tunneling drive; special patrolling and depth area domination despite extremely hostile weather conditions to strengthen the border domination besides mobilisation of troops has been done,” he added.
IG Boora further said, “Regular monitoring of suspicious activities of counterpart is being carried out through surveillance equipment.” To strengthen the security grid, he said, “A joint patrolling exercise is also being conducted along with army, CRPF and J&K Police to scuttle any nefarious attempts of anti-national elements.”
He said, “BSF troops deployed on Jammu International Border have been quite successful and consistent in foiling attempts from across the border by eliminating Pak intruders, seizing huge caches of arms and ammunition, narcotics and detecting tunnels in the past one year.”
ESTABLISHED CBMs WITH RANGERS
IG Boora said that BSF always tried to establish Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) with their counterparts i.e., Pakistani Rangers to ensure peace and tranquillity on the International Border. So far, he said, they held two sector commander level meetings with their counterparts (Pakistani Rangers) at Border out Post, Octroi (Suchetgarh in RS Pura) on July 24, 2021 and on January 5, 2022.
Whereas, a commandant level meeting was organised at the same BoP Octroi in the month of November 24, 2021.
He said, “Two Sector Commanders and one Commandant level meetings were organised on the International Border with counterparts to discuss all border issues.”
“The continuous endeavour has been done by this frontier to maintain peace and tranquillity on the International Border and to develop better coordination between both border guarding forces,” the IG BSF Jammu frontier said while speaking to reporters.
2021 WAS ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTED WITH DETECTION OF TUNNELS, ARMS
“Despite deployment in hostile areas as well as sensitive and hypersensitive scenarios, BSF has always stood-up to the challenges with aplomb,” said the IG BSF.
As a result of robust domination and surveillance on the International Border, there had been continued peace on the Jammu IB, he said. He said BSF Jammu relentlessly carried out anti-tunnel drives along IB and due to its efforts it was able to detect two tunnels on the International Border in the month of January 2021 and made a huge dent to the “infiltration attempts by anti-national elements from Pakistan.” “The detection of these tunnels also exposed the nefarious designs of Pakistan based terrorists and smugglers,” he added.
Hence, Jammu IB remained peaceful as a consequence of strong dominance and surveillance of BSF.
He said that the last year had been ‘achievement oriented’ with detection of tunnels and seizure of huge caches of arms, ammunition and narcotics. The aim of anti-national elements to spread disharmony by carrying out nefarious activities was thwarted, he added.
BSF’S COUNTER STRATEGY AGAINST DRONE
With regard to strategy to counter drone activities, he said, many drone droppings were reported and the border population had been made aware of such (drone) activities carried out by Pak based anti-national elements. For this purpose, the BSF organised 144 drone awareness programmes.
“With these programmes an effort was made to enhance coordination and understanding among the border population to foil and report any suspicious drone activities in their area,” he added. Similarly, the BSF convened around 86 coordination meetings with public representatives and villagers to resolve problems of the border population.
CULTIVATION OF LAND AHEAD OF FENCE
“With the initiative of BSF Jammu, the farmers commenced farming ahead of border fencing after a decade which is our remarkable achievement,” IG BSF added.
At present, he said, “In areas like RS Pura, Samba and Abdullian, border farmers are cultivating their land ahead of border fencing.”
“BSF Jammu has continuously been encouraging farmers to cultivate their land ahead of the border fence along with assistance from the Union Territory government by providing round the clock security cover to them,” he added.
BSF had also started “Retreat Ceremony” at Border out Post at Octroi on IB in RS Pura.
“On October 2, 2021, a retreat ceremony at BOP Octroi was inaugurated by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to provide a boost to tourism in the border area,” he said.
Since then, he said, “It has become a major attraction for tourists. Tourist- footfall has also been increasing day by day.”
Sharing the achievements of last year, the IG Jammu Frontier said that BSF troops were able to “neutralize one Pakistani smuggler who was trying to smuggle a consignment of narcotics from Kathua border wherein the border troops seized about 27.225 kilograms of narcotics.” “BSF troops also seized about 10.935 kilogram of narcotics from Akhnoor, along with Rs 2,75, 000 Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN),” he added.
With continued vigil on the border, he said, “BSF neutralised 6 intruders and apprehended 3 Pakistani intruders who were trying to infiltrate through the IB from January 2021 till date.”
“The BSF battalions in Jammu Region, Rajouri and Poonch sector during 2021 seized 38.160 kilograms of narcotics, 4 AK-47 rifles with 7 magazines and 339 AK rounds, 13 pistols with 32 magazines and 371 of pistol rounds; 8 hand-grenades, 4 Chinese grenades, 1 UBGL grenade, 233 rounds (other ammunition), 16 meters cordex, one wireless set, six mobile sets, one radio single receiver, 13 detonators, 15 Chinese fuse detonators with levers, 2 battery of 9 bolt each, 5 unified electric equipments and 4 sticky bombs,” he said while sharing details.
In the beginning of 2022, he said that the alert BSF troops once again scuttled a major bid of anti-national elements by recovering 4.950 kg narcotics and a consignment of arms and ammunition on the International border in Arnia sector.