Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 5
The Border Security Force (BSF) has stepped up vigil along the India-Pakistan border to counter any attempts of infiltration by terrorists in the wake of the Central government’s move to scrap Article 370 from the Indian Constitution.
A senior BSF officer said, “Special focus is being laid on riverine stretches along the courses of the Sutlej and Ravi in Punjab that are prone to infiltration. The undulating terrain, waterlogging and thick growth of wild grass coupled with absence of fencing make such stretches difficult to guard. The rivers criss-cross the international border at several places. It is believed that the perpetrators of recent terror attacks in Pathankot and Gurdaspur infiltrated through these stretches. The area south of Chenab River in southern part of the Jammu region is also highly vulnerable due to geographical vagaries.
“Instructions have been issued to sector headquarters and battalions under them to increase patrolling in their respective areas of responsibility and ensure the serviceability of surveillance equipment deployed in forward areas. Monitoring of radio and communication networks in border areas has also been stepped up,” an officer said.
“Commanders at all levels have also been asked to strictly enforce standing operating procedures for border patrolling roles, laying ambushes as well as for the security of border out posts,” he added.
The BSF is responsible for the peacetime management of the international border with Pakistan that runs from the Chenab river near Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Though the BSF has some battalions deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) from Akhnoor to Kargil, guarding this stretch is the responsibility of the Army.
Some battalions of the BSF are also deployed on internal security duties in Jammu and Kashmir and over the past couple of weeks, additional companies of the BSF as well as other Central Armed Police Forces were moved to the state in the run-up to today’s development. The Army also remains on a high state of alter along the LoC as well as the hinterland.
According to senior officers, the BSF has been reworking its deployment strategy and has also asked for new surveillance and logistics equipment such as micro drones, long-range reconnaissance and observation systems.
Special focus is being laid on riverine stretches along the courses of the Sutlej and Ravi in Punjab that are prone to infiltration. The undulating terrain, waterlogging and thick growth of wild grass coupled with absence of fencing make such stretches difficult to guard — Senior BSF officer
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