Lens on Guj border, fishermen warned

Security formations across the land border with Pakistan and the ambling coastline of Gujarat were on heightened alert in the aftermath of the surgical strike by Indian forces in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) reported on Thursday.

Official sources in the state capital which also houses the regional headquarters of the BSF and the Coast Guard said that a general alert was on to deal with any rising eventuality. “Whatever needs to be done is being done”, he said. Frontal formations of the Border Security Force (BSF) guard the land borders with Pakistan in Kutch continuing onto North Gujarat. Similarly the Coast Guard mans the 1600 km long sea coast from Kutch to Mumbai at the other end.

Known for its fertile fishing ground and the constant skirmishes that fishermen of both countries have with the other’s marine security agencies, the Indian fishermen who venture out into the seas have been advised against venturing close to the international maritime boundary with the neighbouring country. Similar warnings have also been given along the land borders in Kutch and Banaskantha which border Pakistan asking people to be on the look-out for any suspicious movement. However, there is no move for any evacuation of the civilian population settled along the land borders.

The Gujarat government has also alerted its marine police set ups along the coast.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was personally monitoring the border security in the state and the additional chief secretary (Home} was coordinating with various security forces on the situation. “There are instructions from the Centre for evacuating residents from within 10 kms from the borders but in Gujarat there is no human habitation within 25 kms from the border with Pakistan so no orders for evacuation are needed”, he added.