Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 2: Border Security Force (BSF) Director General Devender Kumar Pathak today held a high level review of security preparedness along the International Border (IB) in Hiranagar and Samba sectors, where two major fidayeen attacks had taken place in September, 2013 and March, 2014 leading to the killing of 19 persons including six militants.
The BSF chief, who is on first three days visit of Jammu frontiers after taking over as the DG BSF on April 8, also reviewed Riverine Integrated Surveillance and Communication System installed by the BSF along Tarnah Nullah to plug the gaps along the unfenced Nullahs and check movement of the militants.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Mr Pathak would be visiting the BSF posts in forward areas of Rajouri district tomorrow before returning to New Delhi. He had reached BSF Headquarters at Paloura yesterday.
Sources said Mr Pathak visited extreme forward areas along Paharpur and Bobiya in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district and Pansar in Samba sector along with IG BSF, Jammu Frontiers SS Tomar and other senior BSF officers and reviewed the operational preparedness of the BSF especially the measures put in place to check infiltration attempts by the militants.
The BSF chief directed that no route should be left unplugged which could give the militants a chance to infiltrate into this side. While the entire IB has been fenced, there were some Nullahs including Tarnah Nullah, which had reportedly been used by three militants to infiltrate into this side and carry out attack along the National Highway followed by Janglote Army camp.
Sources said Pathak hailed the BSF efforts in maintaining strict vigil on the International Border but wanted them to plug the gaps, if any, on the border to ensure that there was no fresh fidayeen attack after infiltration from the border.
The BSF officers briefed Mr Pathak that they had been maintaining round the clock vigil along the borders and have also prepared Riverine Integrated Surveillance and Communication System for the unplugged Nullahs to check infiltration from there. The BSF chief reviewed the System installed on the Nullahs and reportedly favoured that it should cover all Nullahs, leading to the International Border so that no scope was left for infiltration from the IB and for the militants to carry out strikes on the Highway or other places.
Sources said the BSF officers also apprised the chief about movement of militants on Pakistan side of the IB and their attempts to infiltrate into Jammu, which the BSF has regularly thwarted through constant vigil on the borders.
At Paharpur, Bobiya and Pansar forward areas, the BSF chief inter-acted with field commanders of the BSF to acquaint himself with the situation on the border and steps taken to check infiltration attempts, sources said, adding the BSF chief also reviewed operational preparedness of the Force.
The BSF chief’s visit to Tarnah Nullah gained importance as it was believed that three militants, who had struck at Tarnah in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district along Jammu-Pathankot National Highway on March 28 had infiltrated from this route. After the militant attack, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had posted a strong worded tweet asking the BSF to plug the gaps effectively to ensure that there was no fidayeen attack in future.
The militants had appeared at Tarnah bridge on the Highway and killed a civilian travelling in Bolero before hijacking the vehicle and taking it to Janglote Army camp in Kathua. They had also killed the Bolero driver. In the encounter with the Army, one Army jawan was killed while troops had eliminated all three fidayeens.
Prior to this, three fidayeens had appeared at border village of Hariya Chak at Hiranagar on September 26, 2013, hijacked a load carrier and struck at Hiranagar police station killing four cops and two civilians. Later, they had hijacked a truck parked in the police station and struck at 16 Cavalry Unit Army camp at Mehsar, Samba, where they killed four Army soldiers including a Lieutenant Colonel before being eliminated by the troops.
A total of 19 persons including six militants were killed in the two attacks.
Though the BSF had maintained that the militants, who struck at Hiranagar police station and Mehsar Army camp on September 26 hadn’t infiltrated from the International Border, there were few takers of this version. However, after the Chief Minister’s strong worded statement after March 28 terror attack, the BSF maintained silence on route taken by three militants to reach the Highway.
Sources said even the BSF was puzzled about infiltration by the militants as it had virtually sealed the entire International Border and was even manning the Nullahs.
Meanwhile, another portion of underground tunnel, which the BSF and civilians had detected at Chechwal and Chilariyan forward villages in Samba sector in July, 2012, was detected today in the same area after the land caved in at small place.
BSF officers reached the spot but it was found that there was no new tunnel but it was part of the old tunnel, which had been detected about 540 meters deep inside the Indian territory from the IB in July 2012, which had been constructed by the Rangers and the militants to push infiltrators, weaponry and narcotics into this side.
BSF had cordoned off the area to detect further route of the tunnel though it was confirmed that the tunnel was an old one and not new. The BSF had already closed the exit route of the tunnel on the Indian side when it was detected in 2012.
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