Indian government orders deployment of 2000 BSF personnel to hunt Pakistani terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir
Indian government orders deployment of 2000 BSF personnel to hunt Pakistani terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir
The Indian government has decided to deploy two battalions of the Border Security Force (BSF), comprising over 2,000 personnel, from the eastern state of Odisha to the terror-hit Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The decision has been taken in the wake of increased terror attacks in the region. The two units will be ‘immediately’ moved from the anti-Naxal operations grid to Jammu, according to news agency PTI.
“Two recent meetings, one in Delhi and one in Jammu, of the top security brass, necessitated bolstering BSF deployment in Jammu,” a senior officer was quoted as saying on the condition of anonymity.
“There was a proposal to move two BSF battalions from Odisha to Chhattisgarh to intensify anti-Naxal operations there but these units are now being sent to Jammu, given the current situation,” the officer added.
Currently, BSF guards 2,289 kilometres of the international boundary in Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Jammu accounts for 485 kilometres of this border which is replete with dense forests and treacherous terrain, making counter-terrorist operations difficult.
The fresh deployment comes in the backdrop of 500 Indian Army Special Forces para-commandos being stationed in Jammu, earlier this month. The deployment is part of the army’s tactical and strategic readjustment to counter terrorists.
“The plan is to alter and tweak the counter-terror security grid in the region. Thickening of troop presence has a two-fold purpose – to increase and improve intelligence gathering and to deny local support to the terrorists,” a senior security official said at the time.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, there are around 70 to 80 active foreign terrorists in the Union Territory and a fresh batch of 25-20 terrorists have recently infiltrated the region.
Up until a few years ago, terrorists targeted Kashmir Valley and made it the epicentre of their terror operations. However, they have seemingly pivoted on their strategy by making Jammu a hub of their activities.
On Saturday, one Indian army soldier was killed while several others were injured during a counter-terror operation in Kupwara. A Pakistani terrorist was also neutralised.
Army said the terrorists took advantage of bad weather and poor visibility along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machhal sector to enter Indian territory. The operation remains underway.