No inputs about infiltration along IB, border fool-proof: IG BSF

Jammu, May 2: Inspector General (IG) Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu Frontier D K Boora Thursday stated that there were no inputs about (successful) infiltration or attempts along the International Border (IB) and maintained that the (security on) border was foolproof.

IG Boora asserted that it was demonstrated by alert BSF personnel time and again by foiling such attempts whenever they were made like they did on May 1 by neutralising an intruder as he tried to breach the border from Pak side. He was responding to media queries following his visit to forward post in Samba district where on Wednesday (May 1) evening, an intruder was gunned down by BSF personnel.

IG Boora apprehended that slain intruder was probably sent (by the other side) to probe alacrity of BSF personnel deployed in the area and do reconnaissance of the area for facilitating infiltration and sending in more infiltrators.

In response to queries about encounter in Basantgarh area of Udhampur district, where a Village Defence Guard (VDG) was killed on April 28, 2024 in an exchange of gun-fire between the police-VDG patrolling party and terrorists, IG Boora said, “I’ll remain focussed on this (May 1) incident only. Basantgarh does not fall in our jurisdiction. It is quite far-off from our operational area. Police are investigating it.” “We have not received any inputs about the infiltration along the International Border,” he responded to a query about the possibility of infiltration through IB.

Following the Basantgarh encounter, senior police officers had stated that there were inputs about the presence of two groups of terrorists in that (Basantgarh) area of Udhampur. Initial reports mentioned that the terrorists might have sneaked-in by breaching Kathua border.

Search operation in Udhampur, which continued on the fifth day on Thursday without any success so far in tracking down terrorists, was expanded to the areas of Kathua district as well, through its hilly terrain of Bani.

Giving a detailed account of the May 1 incident, IG Boora said, “Our troops deployed saw movement at around 8.15 pm or so from across the border, monitored it. When the intruder crossed the IB, he was challenged by BSF troops yet he aggressively continued forward movement. When he did not stop despite being challenged again, (BSF) troops opened fire and neutralised him.”

He stated it seemed that they (adversary) tried to probe something. "It is being presumed because (at that particular spot) the border takes a turn and forms a kink. The place where the movement was spotted, there’s a gap in the embankment and opposite to it, there’s a gate (on Pakistan side), which though remains closed,” he said.

“It seemed that an attempt was made to sneak in and there's a possibility that there might be more people behind him on the Pakistan side. Though troops could not see them, they (troops) did a great job in showing their alertness. This also creates a deterrence that none can breach our border and whosoever makes such an attempt, will be eliminated as the border is foolproof. This has been proven time and again. Even in the past, anyone, who tried to infiltrate, met the same fate as it happened in case of this intruder,” IG Boora said.

When asked if some recovery was made from the slain intruder, he said, “No such recovery has been made from his possession, again pointing that seemingly he was simply sent first on reconnaissance mission, as a guide to gauge an opportunity to send others (waiting in hiding) also. The troops did not notice the movement of others. We suspect this as generally this kind of tactic is resorted to, by our counterparts on the other side.”

He asserted that troops successfully foiled an infiltration bid thus failing nefarious designs of the other side. “This certainly gives a demoralising effect that they meet failure whenever they make such an (infiltration) attempt,” IG BSF added.