Eight-fold rise in weapon seizures on Pakistan border

Heroin recoveries by BSF on the frontier in Punjab too see an increase of more than two-and-a-half times this year as compared to the corresponding period in 2019

AMRITSAR: The recovery of weapons by the BSF along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab witnessed an eightfold spikethis time as compared to the corresponding month last year. Thirty-two weapons of different types, including AK-series assault rifles and Berretta pistols, were seized along the border till September 12. Last year, the figure was 4 till Sept 30.

The recovery of weapons by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the IndiaPakistan border in Punjab witnessed an eight-fold spikethis time as compared to the corresponding month last year.

According to officials, 32 weapons of different types, including AK-series assault rifles and Berretta pistols, were seized along the border till September 12. Last year, the figure was only 4 till September 30.

The BSF personnel seized 12 and 19 weapons along the Punjab border during the entire year in 2019 and 2018.

Also, a spike of more than two-and-a-half times was witnessed in the recoveries of heroin along the international border this year, said BSF. The BSF seized 394-kg heroin along the border till September 12 against 149kg till the corresponding period last year.

“Pakistan is really desperate to push in consignments of weapons for Kashmir and antinational elements in other parts of the country. Prima facie, it appears that the weapons are being smuggled to encourage terror activities in India,” said a senior BSF official.

“Not only the quantity of heroin recovered increased but also the number of incidents of consignment being pushed into the Indian territory went up. In 2019, the incidents of smug gling were less as compared to this year. We noticed that at least one pistol — either of Pakistan or China make — is being smuggled from across the border with each consignment of heroin,” the official added.

BSF inspector general (IG Punjab frontier) Mahipal Yadav said, “Right now, I don’t have access to the data and therefore can’t make any comment on the issue.”

Punjab shares 553-kilometre frontier with Pakistan, apart from Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

A senior Punjab Police official, who didn’t wish to be named, said, “After the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, strict security arrangements have been put in place there. Now, some people in Pakistan are trying to sneak in weapons into the Indian territory through the Punjab border.”

The biggest recent weapon seizure was in the Abohar sector on September 12 in which the BSF’s 124 Battalion seized three AK-47 rifles with six magazines and 91 rounds, two M-16 rifles with four magazines and 57 rounds and two pistols with four magazines and 20 rounds.

Also, last month, the BSF’s 103 Battalion shot down five