Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 4: Director General of Border Security Forces (BSF), K K Sharma, today said that they have inputs about Amarnath Yatra being the target of militants but assured the Yatra will be incident free.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of wreath laying ceremony of three jawans who were killed at Bijbehara in a militant attack yesterday, Sharma said that despite threat, the Yatra will be incident free. “There are inputs about possibility of attacks on the Amarnath yatra which is guarded by BSF. We are ready for the task as we have done in the past. Arrangements are being made and I want to assure you that this yatra will be incident free”, he added.
The DG BSF said that they are in the process of strengthening border fences and inducting new technology. “We are in the process of strengthening our fences and borders through induction of newer technology and the integration of the ones that already exist. Hopefully, the borders are going to become nearly impregnable”, he added.
Sharma said that as per intelligence reports large numbers of militants are waiting for the infiltration on the borders. “I am told there is a concentration of militants on the other side waiting to be pushed into India for infiltration. These are the intelligence reports we have”, he said.
The DG said that the attack on BSF was not a specific target but it was general attack on security forces. “As militants are attacking security forces, we become a natural target. We have taken a number of remedial steps. More troops have been inducted there”, he added.
Sharma said it was a random attack on security forces. “As I understand, such incidents are random in nature. As we have seen, militants are targeting security forces in general and almost all forces bear the brunt of their activities. So this is to my mind a random incident”, he added.
The DG described the attack on BSF unfortunate. “As you are aware, this is a very unfortunate incident. Three of our brave soldiers have lost their lives and seven are injured”, he added.
Sharma said that they are trying to strengthen the security of the convoys. “I am not in a position to comment in this at this point of time. After such incidents, an inquiry is conducted and we will see what is the outcome? We will see how can we further strengthen the security of our convoy movement”, he said.
The DG said that 18000 BSF men are guarding the borders here and there are regular convoys. “We are not directly involved in CI operations but our convoys move regularly because we have roughly 18000 troops on the border and for the purposes of leave, regular convoys ply between Srinagar and Jammu”, he said.
The BSF chief said more troops have been inducted along the borders to strengthen the security grid to foil any infiltration attempt by militants.
“We are in the process of strengthening our fences and borders through induction of newer technology and the integration of the ones that already exist. Hopefully, the borders are going to become nearly impregnable,” he said.
The BSF chief said the force has taken a number of remedial steps to prevent Bijbehara like attacks.
“As militants are attacking security forces, we become a natural target. We have taken a number of remedial steps,” he said adding “We will see how we can we further strengthen the security of our convoy movement”.
On yesterday’s attack, Sharma said “after such incidents, an inquiry is conducted and we will see what is the outcome,” he said.
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