News Analysis India

Tag: International Border

  • Suspected Pakistani drone spotted along IB in Jammu

    By PTI
    JAMMU: A suspected Pakistani drone was seen hovering along the International Border (IB) here, prompting security forces to launch a massive search operation to check if it had dropped anything inside the Indian territory, officials said on Sunday.

    However, nothing suspicious was found during the search operation, they said.

    This comes two days after a Pakistani drone dropped an AK-47 rifle, a pistol and some ammunition along the IB in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The suspected Pakistani drone was seen hovering in Kanachak sector here late on Saturday night.

    Some residents saw a streak of yellow light in the skies for quite some time before it vanished in the darkness, officials said.

    A search, which began at 5:30 am on Sunday, was carried out by joint teams of Army, Border Security Force (BSF) and police in a vast area between Panch Talli and Laliyal, about 1,500 meters from the IB, they said.

    “A massive search operation was carried out in Kanachack sector after the suspected movement of the drone but nothing objectionable was recovered during the operation,” a police official said.

    Security forces along the border are on high alert to scuttle any attempt by Pakistan to push in terrorists or weapons and narcotics into India, he said.

    On June 20 last year, the BSF had shot down a Pakistani hexacopter drone with a payload of 5.5 kg in Kathua district, leading to the recovery of a sophisticated US-made M4 semi-automatic carbine and seven Chinese grenades.

    On various other occasions over the past year, the BSF and the police have also recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition including sticky bombs dropped into the Indian territory by Pakistani drones.

     

  • Pakistan Rangers violate ceasefire, open fire at BSF men along International Border in J&K

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: Pakistan military on Monday morning violated the ceasefire and opened fire on the BSF in Ramgarh sector in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

    This is the first-ever ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the International Border after the two countries signed an agreement on February 24. 

    A BSF spokesperson told The New Indian Express that Pakistani Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing in Ramgarh sector along the International Border of Samba district at around 6.15 am.

    “The Pakistani troops fired on the BSF patrol party ahead of the border fencing,” he said.

    The spokesman said the border guards also retaliated and there was no loss of life or injury to BSF men during the exchange of gunfire.

    India and Pakistan released a joint statement announcing a ceasefire along LoC from February 25, following talks between their Directors General of Military Operations. The two countries had agreed to adhere to the November 2003 border ceasefire pact strictly. 

  • Zero infiltration along LoC for second year due to upgraded infrastructure, heavy snowfall

    Express News Service
    SRI NAGAR: For the second consecutive year, there has been zero infiltration of militants in militancy-hit Kashmir from across the Line of Control (LoC) in first three months this year, thanks to upgrading of the counter infiltration grid and heavy snowfall in the winter.

    The LoC in the Kashmir Valley falls in three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora in north Kashmir. Due to the heavy snowfall, all the infiltration routes to the Valley got closed, they said.

    As the LoC is calm due to  no ceasefire violations from Pakistani troops from mid-February, the officials are looking at means and ways to reduce infiltration to near zero even during the summer, when the mountain passes and infiltration routes are open. 

    On February 15, India and Pakistani militaries agreed to strongly adhere to the 2003 border ceasefire agreement and since then the LoC and International Border (IB) in J&K has been calm and quiet and there have been no ceasefire violations from either side.

    Not a single bullet or mortar shell has been fired by troops of two countries since February 16.

    The security official said Pakistani troops used to facilitate the infiltration of militants by firing on Indian army positions along the LoC.According to security officials, the counter infiltration grid has been strengthened by incorporating more security equipment to detect militant movement on the LoC, foil infiltration bids and prevent well-trained Pakistani militants from sneaking into the Valley.It is for the second consecutive year that there has been zero infiltration of militants in the first three months of a year.

    “Last year also, there was zero infiltration of militants from across the LoC in the first three months,” the official said.About seven-eight militants had infiltrated into the Valley during the same period in 2019.

    Security officials believe that if infiltration of militants and arms flow from across the LoC is controlled, then the militancy violence will come down as orces have launched “All Out” operation against militants.About 35 militants have been killed in encounters with security forces in the Valley this year, so far. 

  • Pakistani smuggler gunned down along International Border; 22kg heroin, arms seized

    Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: A Pakistani smuggler who tried to cross over to India was shot dead along the International Border in a joint operation by the Punjab Police and the Border Security Force (BSF), officials said. The security personnel recovered close to 22 kg of heroin, two AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition from him.

    The operation was carried out after they received a tip-off that the smuggler will be entering the Indian territory to deliver the consignment of drugs and weapons. Following this, the security personnel pressed into action at the Kakkar border outpost on the international border. As soon as the suspect crossed over, his movement was noticed. The security men asked him to surrender but he kept on moving and opened fire. 

    The BSP men and the police shot back at the smuggler in retaliation and he was gunned down in the exchange of fire.

    The officials conducted a thorough search in the area on the Indian side of the border and seized 22 packets of heroin weighing about 22 kg, two AK-47 assault rifles, four magazines, one mobile phone with a Pakistani SIM card and Rs 210 in Pakistan currency.

    Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural) Dhruv Dahiya said that as per the initial investigations, the smuggler was known to his two Indian counterparts who were residents of the Gurdaspur district and were presently located in Belgium. They were allegedly involved in anti-India activities at the behest of the ISI agency of Pakistan.

    “What was the exact purpose for which the drugs, arms and ammunition were being smuggled to India is yet to be revealed as the investigations are in progress. We expect all the facts to come out soon,” he said.

    Two days ago, in another joint operation, the officials seized an AK-56 with magazine, five bullets, an AK-47 with magazine, nine rounds, a .303 gun with magazine, seven rounds, and a .30 China-made pistol with magazine. These were being pushed by Pakistani smugglers into the Indian territory near Pul Moran border outpost on the International Border.

  • Ceasefire pact should act as stepping stone for resolving all impending issues: Omar

    India and Pakistan last month announced that ceasefire will be observed on the LoC and the International Border (IB).

  • BSF shoots dead Pakistani intruder along IB in Punjab’s Tarn Taran

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: A Pakistani intruder was shot dead by the Border Security Force along the International Border in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, an official of the force said on Saturday.

    BSF troops noted suspicious activity near the border fence at around 2:30 am.

    Sensing threat, they opened fire, he said A search operation was carried on Saturday morning and the body of a Pakistani intruder was found, the official said.

    Fourteen packets of heroin, one pistol magazine, six rounds and two mobile phones were recovered from near the body, he said.

  • Intruder killed by BSF; Pakistani troops target forward posts in Kathua

    By PTI
    JAMMU/NEW DELHI: A Pakistani intruder was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Pakistan international border in Jammu on Monday, officials said.

    The incident took place near the Chak Faquira border post (border pillar no 64) in the Samba sector around 9:45 am, they said.

    “Despite repeated warnings, the intruder kept moving towards the border fence and was fired upon by BSF troops. The dead body of one Pakistani intruder has been recovered,” a BSF spokesperson said.

    The spot where the body was found is around 40 metres from the International Border on the Indian side, the officials said.

    Meanwhile, Pakistani Rangers opened fire on forward posts and villages along the International Border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Monday.

    The firing from across the border in Karol Krishna border outpost area started around 10:20 pm Sunday, prompting strong retaliation by the Border Security Force (BSF), the officials said.

    They said the cross-border firing between the two sides continued till 5 am but there was no report of any damage on the Indian side.

  • Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC and IB in Jammu and Kashmir

    By PTI
    JAMMU: Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Rajouri and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

    There was, however, no report of damage on the Indian side, the officials said.

    “At about 12.30 pm (Saturday), Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri. Indian Army retaliates befittingly,” a defence spokesperson said.

    The officials said the cross-border firing between the two sides was going on when last reports were received.

    In another ceasefire violation, Pakistani Rangers fired on forward posts and villages along the IB in Gurnam border outpost area in Hira Nagar sector of Kathua district, they said.

    The firing from the Pakistan side started around 11 pm on Friday and continued till 12.30 am on Saturday, the officials said.