Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 3: The Border Security Force (BSF) has undertaken massive anti-tunneling exercise along 192 kilometers International Border (IB) in Jammu sector after detection of tunnel near AMK Post in RS Pura sector last month. The BSF planned to cover entire stretch of the border from Lakhanpur to Akhnoor to ensure that there were no more tunnels dug by the militants along the IB for infiltration into the Indian territory.
“The massive exercise is being conducted by the BSF jawans as part of ‘anti-tunneling measures’ along the International Border after the detection of one such tunnel near AMK Post in RS Pura sector,’’ official sources told the Excelsior.
When contacted, DIG BSF Jammu, Dharminder Pareekh said all nine battalions of the BSF were regularly conducting ‘anti-tunneling exercises’ at 10 to 12 places almost daily along 192 kilometers International Border in entire Jammu sector.
“And the process will go on till we screen the entire stretch of IB for the tunnels,’’ he said, adding that a search conducted at Baqarpur, right along the IB in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura tehsil a couple of days back was also part of the exercise undertaken by the BSF.
Sources said Pakistan hasn’t responded so far to demand of the BSF for ‘joint probe’ into digging of the tunnel near AMK Post in RS Pura sector and that matter will again be taken up with them once again in the next few days.
“Pakistan has not given any response so far on the BSF demand for ‘joint probe’ into digging on tunnel at the AMK Post. We will again call up the Rangers’ Commander and reiterate our demand,’’ sources said while pointing out that the BSF wants to expose role of the Rangers in facilitating digging of the tunnel from Pakistan side to the Indian territory.
As the BSF has sufficient evidence to nail Pakistan on digging of the tunnel, the Rangers want to avoid the ‘joint probe’, sources said but added that the BSF was determined to invite them and give them on-spot evidence of their involvement. Most of the evidence has already been given to the Rangers including pictorial evidence by the BSF to Rangers.
According to sources, the ‘anti-tunneling exercise’ of the BSF will continue till entire 192 kilometers stretch of the International Border was sanitized by the BSF and declared as ‘tunnel free area’.
The BSF didn’t want to take any chance as any single tunnel can help the militants to infiltrate into the Indian territory and carry out terror strike and it was in this context that the BSF personnel were leaving no stone unturned to find out any more tunnels.
Sources said though it was not possible for the BSF to detect how long the tunnel had been dug on Pakistan side but definitely it would be around 200 to 300 meters as it seems to have its entry point near Pakistan’s Afzal Post, which was located about 300 meters from the Indian side.
According to sources, the BSF had been tracking tunnels all along the International Border following attacks by the fidayeens along the National Highway of Jammu-Pathankot, the latest one at Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Pathankot on January 2 in which seven security personnel and six militants were killed.
Prior to this, the militants had reportedly come from the International Border and targeted defence and police installations in Jammu and Punjab. After series of incidents, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had asked the BSF for detailed security audit of the IB in both the States.
This was the third tunnel detected so far in Jammu region along IB and Line of Control (LoC).
The first tunnel, which was complete with exit point landing at Chichwal near Chalyari post of the BSF in Samba sector, about 400 meters long and originating from Pakistan, was detected on July 28, 2012 when a civilian saw the land caving-in at his field along the IB due to Monsoon rains.
The tunnel had been fitted with sophisticated equipments and had its origin at Pakistan’s Lumbriyal Post in Shakargarh area of Pakistan. It had been fitted with the equipments, which could help the militants pass a long time inside the tunnel.
Another tunnel was detected along the LoC near Chakla Post in Pallanwalla sector, about 50 meters inside the Indian territory on August 22, 2014.
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