Republic Day Celebrations: BSF to keep close eye on border with Pakistan

Jammu: Amidst high-level intelligence reports of Pakistan infiltration plans, the Border Security Force has said that the Indo-Pakistan border and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) will be kept under close scrutiny with an eye on upcoming Republic Day celebrations.

"Keeping in view the forthcoming Republic Day and security situation to deal with any nefarious attempt of anti-national elements from across the border, troops of the BSF Jammu frontier have been on high alert since last week," said BSF Jammu Frontier IG, DK Boora at a press meet in Jammu on Monday. He confirmed that the intel agencies have alerted the forces of attempts by the anti-national elements to try and disrupt Republic Day celebrations.

Joint patrolling exercises between Army, CRPF and state police, mobilisation of troops as well as regular monitoring of suspicious activities across the border through surveillance equipment are some of the measures that have been implemented IG Boora specified.

A Times of India report quoted BSF Kashmir frontier IG Raja Babu Singh as alleging that 135 armed terrorists are ready and waiting in their camps or 'launch pads' in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. To cross the LoC and enter J&K, certain "guides" have been dispatched from the Indian side to these hideouts to lead them through, he said on Monday.

"Their movement is being tracked and their families are under constant watch," he said.

Security measures also included anti-drone activities to prevent dropping of ammunition and explosives across the border, as this is how Pakistan has been a suspect in the recent retrieval of packages of explosives found in Punjab earlier this month.

During his press conference, IG DK Boora said that the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), including smart fence (also called laser fence), was continually being extended on the 200-km-long International Border in the Jammu region.

The pilot project meant to provide round-the-clock surveillance on the border uses thermal imagers underground sensors, fibre optical sensors, radar and sonar technologies. Defence minister Rajnath Singh in the capacity of Home Minister had inaugurated a stretch of laser fence in September 2018.

The IG also informed that work on ditch-cum-bundh (DCB) to fortify the entire international border was being carried out in a phased manner according to the Hindustan Times.

"The land is being acquired and the work is also being carried out in phases. The basic idea is to fortify our border," he said.