STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Following detection of cross border tunnel along the International Border in R. S Pura Sector of Jammu frontier, the security grid has been beefed up further to plug the loopholes along the border villages.
For past two days, the majority of border villages have been living under the shadow of terror as they consider timely detection of tunnel as a blessing in disguise.
At the same time the construction of long tunnel, that too inside the Indian Territory, has clearly exposed the border management strategy of the BSF guards on ground zero.
If the BSF had failed to detect the tunnel the local villagers may have suffered heavy damages as infiltrators, enjoying free run had managed to sneak inside the Indian Territory without facing any resistance.
According to official sources, the state police Chief K Rajendra has directed the range police officers to increase regular patrolling in the border areas and maintain tight vigil on the movement of the suspicious persons in the area.
The purpose is to keep a track of the activities of the local residents and single out the odd man out in the rush of villagers.
The BSF on its part has strengthened its patrolling close to the International border and has also activated local villagers to share crucial inputs with the local commanders without wasting precious time.
On the other hand the BSF is undertaking comprehensive exercise to rule out the possibility of presence of more number of tunnels in the area.
BSF authorities were not ready to take any chances and have briefed local commanders to deploy heavy machinery along with tractors to clear the elephantine grass between the barbed wire fence and zero line along the International border. Last time when the tunnel was detected in Samba sector in July 2012 the BSF had roped in Geological survey of India to carry out comprehensive survey to detect the presence of ground tunnels using latest technology.
It is learnt the Pak authorities had attempted to push group of infiltrators though the tunnel as there was little presence of human population in the area close to the border fence. The nearest villages are located at a safe distance of over 5 kms from the International Border.
