Committed to achieve ‘zero-infiltration’ target set by Govt: IG BSF Jammu Frontier
Jammu, Nov 29: Inspector General (IG) Border Security Force (BSF) Frontier Headquarter, Jammu, Shashank Anand Saturday asserted that the border guarding force was prepared to take on any challenge and was committed to achieve the “zero-infiltration” target set by the government for it.
IG Anand, joined by DIG Vikram Kunwar and DIG Kulwant Sharma, was addressing an annual press conference, organised in connection with BSF Raising Day, at Satish auditorium in Paloura camp of Jammu frontier.
BSF Raising Day will be celebrated on December 1. This year, the Force will celebrate its Diamond jubilee.
Senior BSF officials, on this occasion, revealed that Pakistan, in tandem with its past track record, post ‘Operation Sindoor’ reactivated 60 terrorist launch pads in the depth areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and 12 in the depth areas along the International Border (IB).
With regard to the questions about the possibility of “Operation Sindoor 2.O” in near future, IG BSF stated, “Through ‘Operation Sindoor’, we have taught a lesson to our neighbouring nation. Even in the future if we come across with a similar situation, our Armed Forces and the BSF, which is the first line of defence on the borders, are ready to take on any challenge. We are capable enough to respond in an exemplary manner.”
He reiterated that BSF was fully alive to the evolving situation.
“Our synergy with our sister agencies is excellent with an avowed objective to keep the borders in Jammu safe and secure. We are keeping a close watch on the activities on and along the borders. In wake of recent incidents which took place in Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, whatever decision is taken by the government and whatever role is assigned to the BSF, we will carry out the job with precision,” IG Anand stated, adding, “Rest assured, for the next year, whatever action plan has been chalked out for us, we will execute it in letter and spirit.”
Responding to a question about the activation of terrorist launch pads in Pakistan, demolished by India during ‘Operation Sindoor’ across LoC and the IB, DIG Vikram said, “As we have already informed you that during Operation Sindoor, we had destroyed terrorists’ launch-pads. Therefore, following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan adopted a policy to shift the launch pads to the depth areas. As on date, 12 launch pads have emerged in the depth areas between Sialkot and Zaffarwal, slightly away from the IB and 60 launch pads have been there in the depth areas along LoC.”
“If we have to mark their (terrorists’) presence, the exact figure keeps on changing. They don’t permanently remain there. They keep on shifting places. Launchpads become active when they have to facilitate crossing (infiltration to Indian side),” DIG informed.
He said that as reports, no (terrorist) training camp was functioning on or along IB. DIG Vikram also informed that post operation Sindoor, there were no separate areas marked for Jaish and Lashkar terrorists and mixed groups were formed.
In response to a related question, IG Anand stated that there was perfect synergy among all the security agencies including Army, CRPF, Intelligence Bureau, Special Bureau, National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other sister agencies working in J&K.
“We keep getting intelligence inputs about the movement of different (terrorist) groups across the border. The number of terrorists keeps fluctuating,” he said.
IG Anand asserted the BSF, with a good experience of both hybrid and conventional wars (1965, 1971, 1999 and Op Sindoor), was capable to inflict more damage to the adversary than what it caused in May this year (during Op Sindoor) if and when the “paused” operation was resumed.
“So far we are honouring the ceasefire,” the BSF officers stated.
POST FLOODS SCENARIO ALONG BORDERS
With regard to a question about damage to border infrastructure during recent floods (in August-September), IG Anand stated that it was not a new experience for BSF which had become resilient to deal with such a situation, given its earlier experience in 2014 and 1988.
“Union Home Minister during his tour on May 31 and August 1 had given a deadline to rebuild the damaged infrastructure within a month. This is heartening to share that we achieved this target well before the deadline with the wholehearted support of Centre, J&K Government and all other sister security agencies, including the Army and JKP. We have been able to create a better and robust infrastructure and surveillance system,” he informed.
Regarding narco-terror threat, IG Anand said that the Force was following central government’s 360 degree top-to-bottom and bottom to top policy vis-à-vis stringent action against all the accused.
TACKLING CHALLENGE OF BORDER TUNNELS AS INFILTRATION, NARCO SMUGGLING ROUTE
In response to a question about the grave challenge of border tunnels used as infiltration routes by the terrorists and narco-smugglers, IG BSF said that the border force had well equipped itself in the past one decade or so to tackle it effectively.
“When the Border Security Force (BSF) bolstered the surveillance and security mechanism by fencing the borders and plugging the infiltration routes, the anti-national forces sitting across the border, our adversaries used tunnels (for infiltration). This trend was noticed around a decade ago and the BSF had detected many tunnels in the areas under Jammu frontier, in the areas of Punjab and completely destroyed them,” he said.
With regard to the mechanism evolved to diminish this threat, IG Anand said, “In the present scenario, we are fully aware of the mechanism of the persons, sitting across the border in Pakistan - we know how the tunnels are dug by them and where; which terrain is preferred by them for the digging of such (cross border) tunnels. So BSF, for the past several years, has been working on all these aspects to tackle the challenge. And the end result of this hard and unrelenting work is that we have been successful in keeping the areas of Jammu (border) fully safe and secure.”
He assured that the BSF’s endeavour, on this account, would continue to be unrelenting in future also to ensure no infiltration should take place from the areas under Jammu frontier.
“Our BSF soldiers always remain on the ground, guarding the border 24X7. Besides them, we are also using advanced technology – be it ground surveillance radars; electrooptical thermal sensors or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Keeping in view all challenges, we are making all out efforts to ensure dominance of India on and along the borders while using state-of-the-art technology,” IG BSF asserted.
Regarding usual weather-related challenges, particularly dense foggy conditions, confronting the border guarding force, with the onset of winters, he said that it (force) was well-placed to handle any situation.
“Irrespective of weather conditions – be it fog or rains and challenges posed by them, we never leave our borders unmanned. Our soldiers, well equipped with weaponry and advanced surveillance mechanisms, remain on guard 24X7. Moreover, we also possess the technology to detect all the activities taking place on and along the borders during foggy conditions. Given the scenario, we are fully geared-up to tackle any challenge on the borders,” IG stated.
DIG Kulwant informed that the BSF was enjoying excellent coordination with the border population as both were reliant on each other.
