150-metre long tunnel dug up to infiltrate terrorists: Indian Army

The tunnel, which was discovered on August 22, originated from the Pakistan side of LoC

A 150-metre long tunnel which was recently discovered near a forward post along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu region's sensitive Pallanwala sector, was apparently dug up for infiltrating terrorists, Defence spokesperson said here today.

"Having failed to infiltrate terrorists across the Line of Control in the Jammu Division, there was an attempt to construct a tunnel across the LoC (to facilitate infiltration)", he said.

The tunnel, which was discovered on August 22, was about 150-metre long on our side of LoC, and originated from the Pakistan side, spokesman said.

The tunnel was about 20 feet below ground level and its diameter was about four feet, he added.

A senior Army officer at Udhampur-based Northern Command headquarters felt that tunnel has been dug up with a design probably to push in terrorists and carry out smuggling of weapons and drugs and narcotic substances.

However, we have not got any evidence in this regard so far, the officer said.

The alert Indian Army personnel deployed along the LoC in the sector thwarted the nefarious designs of the terrorists and prevented major terrorist incidents by discovering the tunnel before it could be completed, the spokesman said.

The alert area domination patrol of the Indian Army noticed a depression in the ground and after investigating the same with ground penetrating radar and other equipment, discovered the tunnel, he said.

Earlier, Defence Spokesman issued a handout on August 23 and said "On 22 August 2104, Army personnel deployed in Pallanwala Sector of Jammu District during routine patrolling found a tunnel approximately 50 meters on Indian side of the Line of Control".