Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 2: Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) U K Bansal said today that acts like constructions of tunnels on the International Border by the neighbouring country to facilitate infiltration of militants was not good for Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between the two countries.
“The incident had the potential of vitiating atmosphere between the two countries’’, Mr Bansal told reporters after inspecting the tunnel at forward village of Chechwal in Samba sector this afternoon.
The BSF chief, which assessed situation at Chechwal arising out of the digging of the tunnel about 300 meters deep into Indian territory near BSF’s Chillayari Border Out Post (BoP) and stayed for about one and a half hour at the zero line, said the attempts like the construction of cross-border tunnel on the IB were likely to vitiate the efforts aimed at developing mutual trust between Indian and Pakistan through the CBMs.
“The discovery of tunnel in Indian territory is something that goes against the CBMs, which were being initiated to deepen trust between India and Pakistan,” Mr Bansal, who was accompanied by IGP Jammu Dilbagh Singh, DIG BSF JS Oberoi, DIG Jammu JP Singh and SSP Samba Israr Khan, said.
Worthwhile to mention here that India and Pakistan have initiated a number of CBMs recently, which included Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary level talks, BSF and Rangers meeting, upcoming visit of External Affairs Minister SM Krishna to Pakistan on September 7 for bilateral talks with his counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, an invite by President Asif Ali Zardari to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan and upcoming Commerce Secretary level talks.
The BSF chief said an alert has been sounded all along the sensitive points on the International Border to look out for more tunnels as Chechwal like mischief could be expected at some other places also since Pakistan was finding it impossible to push the militants into this side.
“An alert has been sounded. The BSF jawans were conducting regular patrols on the IB to find out any other tunnel. We have also taken the help of many other agencies like Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to use their satellite imagery to look for the tunnels. We are determined not to allow any such activity on the IB’’, he said, adding, that the experts were also expected to take a detailed view of the tunnel to reach a conclusion on its alignment and length shortly.
Worthwhile to mention that BSF hasn’t been able to find out exact length of the tunnel into Indian side and its exit point so far despite the fact that the tunnel was detected by a farmer on the evening of July 27 and BSF had swung into action the next morning.
“It’s very difficult to find out alignment of the tunnel. It is not only the BSF but the world over, it was tough to detect the tunnels especially when it was 20 to 25 feet below the tunnel’’, the BSF chief said, adding that digging was going on at various places along the IB in Chechwal to find out alignment of the tunnel, its exact length on the Indian side and exit point, which were very necessary.
He admitted that finding out alignment and exit point of the tunnel were very necessary and, for the purpose, the BSF has already requested the ISRO, Geological Survey of India (GSI) and seismic experts from available agencies. While some of the experts have already visited the spot, others would be visiting shortly to assess the ground situation.
The DG BSF further said that such things like construction of tunnel are not going to be helpful. “So this is what we have told them (during a flag meeting where BSF lodged a protest with its Pakistani counterparts),” he said.
To a question, he said it was obvious that purpose for construction of the tunnel was infiltration of the militants, which authorities across the border have failed to do due to fencing, sophisticated gadgetry and strict surveillance.
“We don’t want to jump to conclusions. However, obviously as the tunnel was coming from across the border, the strategy was to infiltrate militants’’, he added.
Mr Bansal said: “apparently when they (authorities across the border) could not succeed to breach the fence and security on the surface (for infiltration), they resorted to digging of the tunnel,” he said, adding: “we will find out the details as we explore the tunnel— we will be able to draw our assessment and take adequate measures.”
The BSF DG said: “we have lodged a protest with Pakistan during our meeting with them. We have expressed concern that this appeared to be an initiative that started across the border. This would be followed up subsequently after we have more details.”
The BSF had handed over a strong worded note along with pictorial evidence of digging of tunnel into Indian side to the Rangers in a flag meeting held on July 31 at Octroi Post in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura. The Rangers were yet to respond to the protest.
Replying to a question on whether there was involvement of Pakistan Army or its intelligence agency ISI in the incident, the BSF chief said: “there is no reason for me to draw conclusion. I will not hasten to reach any conclusion.
“We are trying to find out alignment and end of the tunnel — once we have that, the conclusion will become obvious,” he said.
To a question on preparedness of BSF along the border, Mr Bansal said his force is aware of its responsibilities.
“Tunneling is one of the standard methods of infiltration used worldwide — therefore patrolling takes place everyday and the security force keeps looking for signs of any digging of tunnel or breach of the fence and so on,” he said.
The BSF DG said tunneling is not a new method of infiltration along with border line, and his jawans are well aware of the fact.
Constructing a tunnel 20-ft below the ground needs the skills of a technical expert, he said.
“We are digging at various places which are actually the alignment of the tunnel. We have taken a decision now to dig in a particular manner which will be more helpful in finding the extent of the alignment,” Mr Bansal said.
The tunnel was detected after an area caved-in in a straight line at two-three places due to rains near border fencing near Chillayari Border Out Post (BoP) of BSF along International Border (IB) in Samba sector.
The tunnel at a depth of 20 to 25-feet has been dug out between two sides along IB on India’s Chillayari BoP and Pakistan’s Lumberiyal BoP. It had air and oxygen supply through a 2-inch hydro-electric pipe. The tunnel is 200 meters up to border fencing and 100-meters beyond the fencing into this side of the border.
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