Cross-border tunnel detected in Jammu, terrorists’ plan to disrupt Amarnath yatra foiled: BSF

By PTI

SAMBA: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday stated it has foiled the nefarious designs of Pakistan-based terrorists to disrupt the upcoming Amarnath yatra by detecting a cross-border tunnel alongside the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district.

During the continuing anti-tunneling operation, BSF troops dugout and detected 265-feet-long oxygen pipes alongside the IB, officers stated, including alert has been sounded within the Jammu area following the invention.

“There were inputs (of infiltration) during the prime minister’s visit. There have always been attempts to engineer infiltration along the border. It was due to the alertness of the BSF that this tunnel was uncovered,” Inspector General of BSF, Jammu Frontier, D Ok Boora informed reporters right here.

“We got success yesterday at 5.30 pm. We detected a tunnel and it had green sand bags beside it. It was 150 meters long. From inside up to the fence, it measured 100 meters and from there it was 50 meters. We got its opening in a forested area,” he stated.

Boora stated the troops foiled the designs of terrorists to disrupt the upcoming Amarnath yatra to the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.

“It seems that it is a new tunnel. We are trying to investigate its link to the Sunjwan attack as we apprehend that they (terrorists) may have crossed via this tunnel. It is an assumption. We have no evidence — oral or digital — so far,” he stated.

The tunnel was detected within the space of Chak Faquira border outpost (BoP) in samba alongside the IB on Wednesday night, the BSF officers stated.

The operation to uncover some other tunnel is occurring in full swing by the troops with the assistance of machines, they stated.

“We have dugout 265-feet-long oxygen pipes from the world used to supply oxygen provide contained in the tunnel,” the officers stated.

The detection of the cross-border tunnel comes practically a fortnight after safety forces gunned down two suicide bombers shortly after they attacked a CISF bus killing an Assistant Sub-inspector within the Sunjwan space of Jammu on April 22.

“With the detection of this tunnel, the BSF Jammu has foiled the nefarious designs of Pakistan-based terrorists to disrupt the upcoming Amarnath yatra,” DIG BSF S P S Sandhu stated.

Boora lauded the devotion and dedication of the BSF troops and stated it’s the fifth tunnel detected in lower than one and half years’ time.

“This shows the evil strategy of the Pakistan establishment to create trouble in India,” the BSF IG stated.

The BSF has been all the time on the forefront to safeguard the borders and create a way of safety among the many border inhabitants, he stated.

The power will proceed its efforts to detect some other potential tunnel, Boora stated.

Sandu stated the detection of the tunnel was the results of rigorous and constant efforts of the BSF troops throughout a fortnight-long anti-tunneling train carried out within the space.

“This tunnel is freshly dugout and is suspected to be about 150-meters-long and originating from the Pakistan side,” he stated.

The opening of the tunnel is about two ft huge, and to date 21 sand luggage have been recovered which had been used to strengthen the exit of the tunnel, Sandhu stated.

“A newly dug tunnel at a distance of 150 metres from the IB and 50 metres from the border fence was detected opposite Pakistani post Chaman Khurd (Fiaz) which is 900 metres from the Indian side,” an official stated, wishing to not be named.

He stated the opening of the tunnel is about 300 metres from the border outpost Chak Faquira and 700 metres from the final Indian village.

The BSF had launched an enormous drive to detect any tunnel alongside the International Border (IB) following the April 22 encounter within the Sunjwan space.

The BSF is manning about 192 kilometres of the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) alongside the Army and is preserving a good vigil to scuttle any try of infiltration of terrorists, smuggling of weapons and narcotics and drone exercise from throughout the border.