BSF carries out search op after reports of suspicious tunnel in J-K's Samba

The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on Thursday carried out a search operation following reports of a suspicious tunnel near the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, but found nothing, officials said.

Based on inputs, the operation took place in Jaraie village of Lalacheck border area, the officials said.

After a few hours of digging near a deep pit, no tunnel was discovered, they said. A senior BSF officer dismissed the rumors, and told PTI, "There is no tunnel. It is a pit. There is nothing to worry about."

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Samba, Benam Tosh, also refuted claims of tunnels in the area, clarifying that it is just a hole.

"All agencies have carried out thorough checking, and no tunnel was found," he said.

Meanwhile, troops along the International Border (IB) have been placed on alert in anticipation of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22 and Republic day.

Security measures in the border area have been intensified to ensure the prevention of untoward incidents along the borderline, sources said.

Night curfew has been imposed along the IB in Samba district to ensure better area domination by BSF troops and to foil any nefarious activities close to the borderline, according to an official order.

The step was taken to prevent cross-border infiltration and smuggling of weapons through drones in the extreme foggy weather conditions prevailing along the India-Pakistan border line, said the order issued by District Magistrate Abhishek Sharma on Sunday.