Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* Appeals to strengthen vigil in the Gurdaspur sector from Paharpur to Thakurpur on priority
Chandigarh, August 14 – Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh to increase deployment of Border Security Force on the Punjab border with Pakistan on the pattern of Jammu and Kashmir to stem infiltration of terrorists.
In his letter to Union Home Minister, Mr. Badal said that state government has taken all the necessary actions including deployment of trainees and putting Armed Battalions and office staff on field duties, but vigil at par with J&K border was needed so that Punjab border should not remain a weak link in the internal security and safety of the state.
Quoting the alerts received from central agencies, Deputy CM said that alerts have mentioned that terrorist groups were trying to infiltrate in the Indian territory through the international border in the Gurdaspur sector with the assistance of Pak agencies. Mr. Badal brought in the notice of Union Home Minister that density of deployment of BSF on the international border in the Gurdaspur sector, which was adjoining J&K, has been less than half of that in J&K. He said that situation has been there since the last few months and perhaps this could be one of the reasons for the recent infiltration of the Fidayeen group through the Gurdaspur sector.
Deputy CM suggested that keeping the constraints of manpower in mind, the deployment of BSF could be strengthened in the Gurdaspur sector from Paharpur to Thakurpur on priority basis and as and when more manpower made available strengthening of vigil from Thakurpur to Dera Baba Nanak could be done. He said that likewise further deployment of BSF along rest of Punjab border would fulfill the ultimate objective of bringing required vigil to create tight check over infiltration.
Mr. Badal appealed the Union Home Minister to take immediate action this regard as if once terrorists or Fidayeen groups managed to cross border, any amount of deployment in the state would be insufficient to prevent random strikes. He said that Punjab lost its 4 security personnel and 3 civilians in Dinanagar incident whereas more than 17 person got injured. Describing that how serious this infiltration could be, Mr. Badal said, “ AK-56 rifles with armour piercing ammunition, grenades and a primed disposable rocket launcher were recovered from the 3 inflitrators who were engaged and killed by the Punjab police. Before their entry into the Dinanagar police station, the inflitrators had planted a series of IEDs on the railway track which could lead to major tragedy”.
