Jammu border illuminated

By Our Correspondent

NEW KANACHAK (Chicken Neck area Akhnoor), NOV. 2. In an effort to effectively plug infiltration and the flow of arms and ammunition, floodlights are being installed along the international border in the Jammu region.

The international border in Jammu was illuminated at the New Kanachak border outpost by the Border Security Force (BSF) amidst heavy firing. Talking to The Hindu, the BSF Inspector- General (IG), Jammu range, Mr. Vijay Raman, said ``we were expecting this kind of response from the other side as we have thrown an open challenge to Pakistan. We will soon illuminate more areas as this facility will help our men prevent infiltration effectively.''

Mr. Vijay Raman said it was difficult to set any time frame for completing the fencing of 180 km of the border from Paharpur to Chenab. The operations till now have been carried out without incurring any casualty. A 17 km stretch of the border has been fenced so far. He said there was also a proposal to electrify the barbed wires.

In 1995, when the fencing work was taken up for the first time, it had to be suspended due to heavy firing from the other side. But now, the BSF, in order to give themselves sufficient safety cover from firing by Pakistani troops, are fencing the area 300 m away from the international border.

The BSF DIG (intelligence), Mr. Sebastian, said that besides at the Line of Actual Control there has also been a spurt in infiltration on the international border in the recent past. In winter, infiltration increases because the Pir Panjal ranges on the Line of Actual Control becomes snowcapped.

20 militants shot

Our Jammu Correspondent reports:

Twenty militants were shot dead in the Poonch sector by the Army today when they moved into the Indian side from the Line of Actual Control in Nowshera sector on Monday night.

Defence sources said they belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.

Meanwhile, a Lieutenant and a Naik lost their lives after a fierce two-hour battle with militants in Morha Damal area of Kalakot tehsil last evening.

The deceased have been identified as Lt. Gautam Jain, and Naik Bhagwan Singh, both from field regiment of the Army.

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