52-year-old DIG O P Kanwar had gone to the area to conduct a combing operation this morning after the post came under fire from across the border since last night, Senior Superintendent of Police, Samba, Raghubir Singh said.
During the combing operation, a blast took place, killing Kanwar, a BSF cadre officer, and leaving two others badly injured, he said.
Kanwar, who was DIG (Headquarters, BSF Frontier, Jammu), was officiating as DIG of the operational area in Samba.
As per preliminary information, terrorists had planted an improvised explosive device (IED) on the Indian side and taken cover at a safe place in Pakistan territory. As soon as the militants found out that a senior officer was visiting the area, the IED was detonated in which the DIG was killed, official sources said.
They said there has been intermittent cross-border small arms firing on the forward Ballad post since last night. The BSF troops have replied to the firing, they said.
Published 16 November 2009, 05:45 IST