[Reader-list] Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF

[Taha Mehmood]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2116525.cms

Infiltration through Punjab worries BSF
7 Oct 2006, 2336 hrs IST, Vishwa Mohan, TNN



 NEW DELHI: Border Security Force (BSF) chief A K Mitra has expressed
serious concern over the recent attempts by Pakistan-based terrorists to
enter India through Rajasthan and Punjab sectors — the 'fenced border'
stretch which did not report a single infiltration bid in the last 10 years.

Referring to incidents where BSF foiled attempts of terrorists to infiltrate
into India last month, Mitra told TOI, "This is a matter of concern for us
and we are taking it seriously".

He said it was not clear if the infiltration bids were one-off incidents or
was the beginning of a trend. "We have sensitised all border outposts and
asked our personnel to remain on high alert.

"The BSF, which is deployed on the entire western border along Jammu and
Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, had to encounter the first such
infiltration bid in Amritsar sector on September 14 when it killed two
persons, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant.

The second incident was reported from Sherpura outpost in Sriganganagar
district of Rajasthan on September 24 when the BSF killed three militants
during a night-long gunfight.

The use of these low-key western sectors as infiltration points assumes
significance as it underscores the fact that the level of infiltration
through J&K may not be a reliable index of Pakistan's willingness to clamp
down on jehadis crossing into India.


Intelligence agencies point out that the past years have seen ISI
increasingly using Bangladesh to push in terrorists. The use of Rajasthan
and Punjab sectors, however, is sure to add to the worries of the
security establishment.