BSF steps up vigil on Indo-Pak border amid foggy weather conditions

Manual patrolling of jawans have been increased by four-five times, says DIG, BSF, Virender Singh

Braving Pakistani snipers, tough terrain and extreme cold conditions, BSF has stepped up manifold manual patrolling and deployed thermal imagers to keep a close vigil on the Indo-Pak border in winter to check infiltration by militants.

"There is an increase in the manual patrolling of jawans by four-five times during foggy weather conditions amid activation of thermal imagers and use of infra-red cameras along International Border as foolproof security," DIG, BSF, Virender Singh told PTI.

Positioned eyeball to eyeball with Pakistani soldiers on the other side on their posts in riverine and bushy belts along the border from Malu (Aknoor) in Jammu district to Pahadpur in Kathua district, jawans are keeping a strict vigil on the zeroline round the clock.

"We have to keep watch on any minute movements of Pakistani troops as well as infiltrating militants near zeroline and also through day and night. Each movement on and across the IB is very important for the defence and strategy," BSF Jawan Ram Singh said.

Singh, who along with four jawans manned the Sharp Nallah forward post, one of the 19 sensitive riverine areas and gaps on the IB, is armed with modern surveillance gadgets of infrared cameras and thermal imagers, alarm system on three- tier fencing monitored at TV-type monitors to keep infiltrators at bay.

"Even if we miss watch of the IB in our operation for just a few minutes, that period gets recorded and we analyse it," the jawan said.

"So, there is no chance to miss even a single movement. If we miss a single movement, militants would get in. We cannot afford to be lax as responsibility is fixed on us," he said.