Keeping in view infiltration bids by militants from Pakistan and the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations, the Border Security Force has been put on high alert along the country's western border. The decision to put the border guards on top alert was taken in the wake of reports received by the Home Ministry with regard to rocket firing incidents near Attari border on Saturday and Sunday, official sources said.
Following the reports, patrolling along the entire international border with Pakistan has been intensified with orders to counter any infiltration attempt, they said. "We are studying the reports. Patrolling has been increased and the BSF is fully alert to deal with any situation. The BSF in the recent past has retaliated adequately to the firing from across the border," an official said. However, Home Ministry sources didn't rule out the possibility of the involvement of "non-state actors" as the Pakistan Rangers have told the BSF that they were not involved in the firing from across the border.
"The force had shot and killed two infiltrators on Saturday and two on Sunday along the international border," the official added. Five to six rockets had been fired from across the border near Attari on the two occasions, prompting the BSF to open retaliatory fire. Meanwhile, in the fourth infiltration bid in a week, militants early this morning triggered a blast to cut the border fencing in Jammu area but the BSF troops foiled the attempt after a fierce gunbattle between the two sides in Akhnoor sector.
