BSF detecs underground tunnel in J-K’s Arnia which originates from Pakistan

The Border Security Force unearthed a tunnel, which was being dug from the Pakistani side along the international border on Saturday (Representational Image)

A day after the Border Security Forece (BSF) and Pakistani Rangers held talks at Suchetgarh and assured to take necessary measures to ensure peace and tranquility along the international border, Indian security forces on Saturday detected an underground cross-border tunnel coming from the Pakistan side into Arnia sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Official sources confirmed that BSF troops foiled an attempt by Pakistani-based terrorists to cause havoc during the festival season.

Meanwhile, sources said the tunnel has been uncovered in a forested area near Damala nullah in Arnia sector, the same place where Pakistani Rangers had restored to heavy mortar shelling last week. The tunnel was to be used by the terrorists to sneak into India from Paksitan. As it appeared that some people were still inside the tunnel, the BSF opened fired, but they managed to escape under cover of darkness.

Significantly, this has been the second cross-border tunnel detected by the BSF along the international border this year; the last one was found in February in Ramgarh sector of Samba district. Since 2012, the BSF has plugged nearly half a dozen tunnels, dug by terrorists to enter India.

Two cross-border tunnels were detected in Akhnoor sector in 2012 and 2014, and one in R S Pura sector in 2016. The tunnel found in R S Pura, though dug nearly 30 metres inside Indian territory, was not complete as it had not been opened on the Indian side.

Pakistani Rangers and troops have been resorting to unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire on forward Indian positions along the international border and the Line of Control (LoC) for the last four months in desperate attempts to push in armed terrorists into India. In view of escalation on the border, the cross LoC travel and trade through Chakkan Da Bagh in Poonch district has been suspended for the last two months.

On Friday, Pakistani Rangers at a flag meeting with BSF in Suchetgarh area, assured to take all necessary measures to maintain peace and tranquility along the borders. Significantly, the sector commander level flag meeting was convened on the request of Pakistan.