BSF foils intrusion bid, guns down Pakistani intruder in Pathankot

The Border Security Force shot dead an intruder and foiled an infiltration bid along the international border in Pathankot early on Wednesday, officials said.

“At predawn, BSF personnel observed suspicious movement across near the Tashpatan border outpost (BoP) in Pathankot. He was challenged by the troops but paid no heed and kept moving towards the fence. Sensing threat, the personnel neutralised the intruder, a BSF spokesperson said, adding the identity of the intruder was being ascertained.

“A strong protest will be lodged with Pakistan Rangers,” the spokesperson added.

On February 21, India and Pakistan held a brigadier-level flag meeting at Chakan Da Bagh on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district amid a spike in trans-border firing, sniper fire and IED attacks by Pakistan.

Two soldiers have been injured in separate incidents of cross-border firing along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts, while one more army personnel was injured in a landmine explosion in February.

Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha recently said that the Indian army was responding befittingly adding that clear directions have been issued to the security forces to go full throttle to wipe out terrorism at any cost.

After Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi and Naik Mukesh Singh Manhas were killed in an IED blast near the LoC in Akhnoor on February 11, Sinha had chaired two back-to-back security review meetings at Srinagar and Jammu on February 12 and 13 with top officials.

On February 13, close on the heels of a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Bhimber Gali sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector, India had hit back strongly inflicting heavy losses to the Pak army in Krishna Ghati sector.

Pakistan has been trying to vitiate peace along the LoC by resorting to cross-border firing, sniper fire and carrying out IED blasts with an aim to target Indian soldiers.