BSF unearths tunnel being dug from Pak side

srinagar — The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday unearthed a 14-feet-long tunnel near the zero line in Arnia sector here which was being dug from the Pakistani side, scuttling a major infiltration bid and a possible terror attack, officials said.

Inspector General of the BSF Ram Awtar said an area domination party noticed the suspicious movement of nearly a dozen armed people near the zero line who fled after seeing the uniformed men.

“The unfinished tunnel, dug from the Pakistani side, approximately having three-feet height and twoand-a-half feet width on the slope of bank at Dhamalla nulla (stream) ahead of border fence was detected by the alert BSF jawans this morning,” he told reporters here.

The unfinished tunnel, dug from the Pakistani side, approximately having three-feet height and two-and-ahalf feet width on the slope of bank at Dhamalla nulla (stream) ahead of border fence was detected by the alert BSF jawans — Ram Awtar, Inspector General of the BSF

The BSF patrolling party commander got suspicious and launched a thorough search and survey operation of the area which led to the detection of the tunnel and recovery of “war-like stores”.

Among the items recovered from the location included a US-made compass, two magazines, 60 rounds of ammunition, a hand grenade, and other items and most of these items were carrying the marking of Pakistan, he said.

Terming the tunnelling activity as a “nefarious act” of Pakistan, the officer said timely action by the BSF foiled a major attack on the Indian soil.

Sector commanders of the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers held a flag meeting in Suchetgarh sector along the international border on Friday at the request of Pakistan to defuse the tension in the wake of intense cross-border skirmishes this month.

“The flag meeting happened yesterday and several issues came up for discussion. The BSF has not lowered its guard but had remained alert, knowing the history of Pakistan which on the face value does something else but behind it are upto something else,” he said, adding it is because of the “alertness” of the force that the tunnel was detected.

He said the recovery of huge cache of Pakistan-made food items are indicative that there was an attempt to complete the tunnel before its detection and carry out a major strike on the Indian soil.

In response to another question after a brief video clip of the tunnel was played during the press conference, Awtar said the entry to the tunnel is in Pakistan and its deadend is just between fencing and the zero line, around 10-metres towards Pakistan. — PTI