BSF guns down 3 Pak intruders, nabs 3 in Ajnala near Amritsar
The Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down three Pakistani intruders on Tuesday before they could cross the Ravi river in the Ajnala sector.
The Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down three Pakistani intruders on Tuesday before they could cross the Ravi river in the Ajnala sector.
Those killed can be terrorists, scouts, or smugglers, says the BSF, which has caught three more Pakistanis after search and seized four mobile phones, five Pakistani SIM (subscriber’s identity module) cards, and 655 Pakistani rupees. The intruders were about to cross the iron fence when an electronic surveillance alarm went off around 3.30am.
After starting a gunfight with the BSF patrol party that challenged them, three intruders were killed in the exchange of 39 rounds. Three men on the Pakistani side, who could be Rangers (Pakistani border guards), gave them cover fire from automatic weapons.
BSF’s Punjab frontier inspector general (IG) Anil Palliwal inspected the scene of encounter across the Ravi. Two of the killed Pakistanis appear to be in their twenties, while the other looks in the mid-thirties. They were in salwar-kameez, which is traditional Pakistani dress.
J&K ‘connection’
“The BSF has increased the vigil on the fence, as we have inputs of more infiltration attempts coming up,” said BSF additional director general Arun Kumar. “Yesterday (on Monday), we spotted a group of infiltrators approaching the border along Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in the Ajnala sector and asked Rangers to stop them. The Pakistani guards got them to change and carried them away in own cars along with their bags and weapons. This might have a link with the intrusion on Tuesday.”
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“We are sending a strong protest note to Pakistani Rangers about both incidents,” said the BSF ADG.
Captured men claim to be wedding guests
The captured Pakistanis are Babar Ali of Sheikhupura, Shehzaad of Lahore, and Ali Raza of Narowal on the banks of the Ravi. Caught around 10.30am, two are teenagers, while one is in his twenties. They told the BSF in preliminary interrogation that they had come to a wedding at a Pakistani border village. The force is investigating. “Since border security in Jammu and Kashmir is tight, Pakistanis might try to sneak into Punjab. But we are alert here as well,” said Arun Kumar.
Encounter details
Time: 3.30am
Place: Dariya Mansoor outpost, Ajnala sector
Pak intruders killed: 3
Pak intruders captured: 3
Items seized: 4 mobile phones, 5 SIM cards, Pakistani currency