BSF intensifies patrolling along India-Pakistan border in Punjab
FOG VIGIL Special checkposts set up on all roads leading to border, duty hours of jawans increased
DENSE FOG REDUCES VISIBILITY AT THE BORDER TO ALMOST ZERO, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING AND EVENING HOURS, MAKING IT HARD FOR BSF TO KEEP VIGIL
AMRITSAR : Amid the prevailing foggy weather conditions in the region, the Border Security Force (BSF) — the country’s first line of defence — has intensified its patrolling along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
Every year, from mid-December to February, dense fog reduces visibility at the border to almost zero, especially in the morning and evening hours, making it a big challenge for the force to detect misadventures of the anti-national elements across the border.
According to a BSF official, during the foggy weather, the anti-national elements increase their activities of sneaking narcotics, arms and ammunition into the Indian territory.
Last week, Punjab Police had recovered 15kg heroin, which was smuggled from across the border by using PVC pipes in Amritsar sector, following the arrest of six persons who had collected the consignment from the border.
Moreover, during the foggy weather, capability of various gadgets and other technological equipments installed on the border to keep vigil for any kind of smuggling and infiltration from across the border declines drastically.
“Due to the foggy weather, we have intensified our patrolling along the border. We have also been taking additional precautions to meet any kind of challenge,” said Amritsar sector BSF deputy inspector general (DIG), Bhupinder Singh.
Another BSF official, seeking anonymity, said, “The movement of patrolling vehicles along the border has been doubled. Similarly, duty of the jawans has been increased by two to three hours to keep strict vigil as the gadgets and floodlights installed on the border stop working properly in the fog. With the help of Punjab Police, special nakas have also been installed at all roads leading to the border.”
BSF uses equipments such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, LED, laser and floodlights, thermal imaging cameras, hand-held thermal imagers, radars and sensors to keep vigil on intruders and attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons, the official said.
Senior officials have also been visiting regularly to monitor the deployment of jawans along the border, a BSF inspector said. “All vulnerable pockets are being inspected regularly by senior officials,” he said.
PATROLLING ON BOATS ALONG RIVERINE BORDER
The Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepur sectors of Punjab also have some streams of Sutlej and Ravi rivers on the border with Pakistan. The intensity of fog increases near the riverine border. Many security officials believe that the Pakistani terrorists who attacked the Pathankot air force station in 2016 might have entered India from the banks of Sutlej river.
The BSF official said, “Patrolling on boats by troops has also been increased near the riverine border. The riverine border is also guarded by laser walls. Laser walls, which work effectively even in dense fog, sound alert when any intruder tries to sneak into the Indian territory.”
The BSF is already on high alert in the wake of recent use of Pakistani drones to smuggle weapons into India. In September, the Punjab Police had busted a Khalistan Zindabaad Force (KZF) module that received arms and ammunition from across the border through GPS-fitted drones.