BSF shoots down five Pak intruders in Tarn Taran
TARNTARAN: The Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead five Pakistani intruders in self defence after the infiltrators opened fire on the Indian troopers along the India-pakistan International Border in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district early on Saturday morning, senior officials of the force said.
Ammunition and drugs were recovered during a search operation at the site, which falls under the Dal border outpost in the district.
One AK-47 assault rifle with two magazines and 27 live rounds, four .9mm Berretta pistols with seven magazines and 109 live rounds, 9kg heroin, two mobile phones and ~610 in Pakistani currency were recovered from the infiltrators, a BSF spokesperson said.
According to senior officials aware of the developments, troopers of BSF’S 103rd battalion first noticed the movement of two infiltrators who were trying to take cover under paddy crop near the border around 11:30pm on Friday night.
“When the troops checked the suspected movement in the cameras installed at the border, they found that there were five suspects,” said BSF’S inspector general (IG), Punjab Frontier, Mahipal Yadav.
Following this, a surveillance operation was launched around 5am and the area was cordoned off. The “Pakistani armed” intruders were then asked to stop and surrender, but instead they opened fire at the BSF personnel, he said, adding that Indian troops retaliated in “self defence”
Punjab shares a 553km frontier with Pakistan, apart from Jammu, Rajasthan and Gujarat -which together constitute the remaining part of the International Border.
According to the IG, prima facie, it appears the five men were trying to infiltrate as they were carrying arms and drugs, but their exact motive will be ascertained by the Punjab Police during their investigation. The mobile phones recovered by the intruders could contain vital information, Yadav said.
Yadav added that the BSF is likely to lodge a “strong protest” with Pakistan Rangers – deployed along the other side of the border -- and ask them to keep vigil.
Tarn Taran SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said a case has been registered against the five unidentified intruders under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act , Indian Passport Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS Act at the Khalra police station.