JAMMU — The Border Security Force is fully alert to maintain “zero” cross-border infiltration of terrorists in the Jammu region, a top officer said on Sunday and asserted that the flood-damaged infrastructure was restored and strengthened within a month.
Addressing the annual press conference, Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu frontier, Shashank Anand, highlighted the force’s key achievements and its role during Operation Sindoor.
Anand also said the force is equipped for the winter months with the latest tools, including those that can see through foggy conditions.
“In this sensitive border region of Jammu, the BSF remains alert 365 days of the year and 24 hours, day or night, whatever the circumstances and weather conditions — rain, fog, cold or heat. We have been trained not to leave the posts.
“Our two brave soldiers achieved martyrdom during Operation Sindoor in May, fighting the enemy, while one of our brave soldiers drowned in Pragwal, manning a forward post in September, despite being a good swimmer. He did not leave the border post and preferred death, which shows that our soldiers consider the country supreme,” Anand, flanked by BSF Deputy Inspector Generals Vikram Kunwar and Kulwant Rai Sharma, told reporters here.
He said the border-guarding force is always alert and privy to the activities across the border. Having its own reliable sources, it gets timely inputs about possible infiltration attempts by terrorists, he said.
“And if I talk about the Jammu and Kashmir region, various agencies work together. There is the BSF, Army, Intelligence Bureau, Special Bureau, National Investigation Agency, and many other sister agencies through which we continuously receive inputs,” the Jammu BSF chief said, assuring people that the force is ready for any challenge.
Anand said the BSF is working hard to achieve the “zero infiltration” target along the border.
Asked about the massive damage caused to the anti-infiltration grid after the flooding in August-September, he admitted that the border infrastructure was impacted.
However, he asserted that BSF had dealt with similar calamities in 2014 and 1988, and it was sufficiently resilient to meet such challenges.
“One of our central government ministers reviewed the flood damage on August 31 and September 1 and received a detailed briefing with a promise that the damaged infrastructure will be rebuilt within a month,” Anand said.
The IG BSF said the force not only achieved its target but also “further strengthened the border grid”.
“Today, we are sitting in a system that is two or three times better. So, the damage that came, we took it as a challenge. We got an opportunity, and we saw how we can improve our system further,” Anand said.
During the flood, all possible infiltration routes were plugged with the deployment of manpower and enhanced surveillance, he told reporters.
Speaking about the narco-terror nexus, the BSF officer said the government is employing a 360-degree top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach to ensure strict action against all the accused.
“It is absolutely right that some people sell their country, and the same is true in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. And the anti-national forces take advantage of this to carry out narcotic smuggling,” he said.
Asked about the challenge on the border in the coming winter months, especially during the foggy conditions, he said the soldiers posted there are equipped with the required weapons and equipment.
“We also have such technology, which can detect the activities that are happening around the border in the fog. So, I think we are ready to face any challenge,” Anand said. — (PTI)