BSF detects Pakistan's 'secret' underground tunnel in J&K's Kathua to infiltrate terrorists

On January 13, a 150-metre-long tunnel was detected in Bobiyaan village in the same sector

The Border Security Force (BSF) Saturday detected a 150-metre long underground tunnel originating from the Pakistani side on the international border (IB) to the Pansar area of Jammu.

A BSF spokesperson said approximately the 150-metre long and 30 feet deep tunnel was detected between border outposts 14 and 15 in Pansar area of Kathua district in Jammu. On the other side of the fence are Pakistani border outposts of Abhiyal Dogra and Kingre-de-Kothe in Shakargarh district.

“The detection of the tunnel is huge as it appears to be at least six to seven years old and would have been used for infiltration for a long time,” a BSF official told DH.

Also, he said, the tunnel is located in a place that has seen action in the past when Pakistan had mounted a heavy fire assault on the forward duty point and constructed a new bunker on the zero line in the vicinity.

This was the second such tunnel unearthed by the BSF in the last 10 days. On January 13, a similar tunnel had been detected by the BSF in Hira Nagar sector of J&K’s Kathua district. In the past six months four tunnels have been detected in Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua regions and 10 across Jammu division by alert Indian troops.

Sources told DH as the infiltration along the IB and Line of Control (LoC) has become difficult due to strict vigil by security forces, Pakistani spy agency ISI wants to explore the possibility of infiltrating ultras and weapons through secret tunnels.

In the wake of the detection of a secret tunnel in the forward area, they said, security units along the IB and the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir have been asked to keep strict vigil on any digging in the border areas.

“Army and BSF units have been asked to launch a spot investigation to find out if more such tunnels exist anywhere as it is important because the infiltration of terrorists through them practically nullifies the utility of deployment of soldiers along the Line of Control,” they added.