Patrolling intensified along Pakistan border in Gujarat

The Border Security Force has intensified patrolling along India's 512-km long border with Pakistan in Gujarat's Kutch and Banaskantha districts, given elections in India and the recent terror strikes across the border, a top BSF official said.

The Border Security Force has intensified patrolling along India's 512-km long border with Pakistan in Gujarat's Kutch and Banaskantha districts, given elections in India and the recent terror strikes across the border, a top Border Security Force (BSF) official said.

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"We are in a state of high alert as not only the country is going to the polls but also for the fact that the neighbouring country is under the spell of repeated terror attacks which may trigger infiltration of terror elements from across the border," the official said.

He said that harsh weather conditions during summer months have not been a deterrent for the paramilitary personnel who have been keeping a vigil on the international border round the clock.

The 322-lm-long Kutch section of the border has a much harsher terrain with high temperatures and sand storms, compared to the 190-km border in Banaskantha.

Along with the BSF, platoons of the Gujarat government's border wing are also patrolling Kutch and Banaskantha.

The state's home department last week carried out a detailed review of the security arrangements in villages and towns in the border areas. Gujarat Chief Secretary D Rajagopalan took a tour of the Banaskantha stretch of the border on Tuesday.

"A multi-layered security model in the bordering areas of Gujarat helps keep infiltration in check throughout the year. However, political problems or terrorist activities from across the border trigger attempts of infiltration in Kutch and Banaskantha regions," the BSF official added.