BSF IG Ramawtar addresses the media in Jammu. Inderjeet Singh

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 30

Alert Border Security Force (BSF) personnel today detected a 14-foot cross-border tunnel in the Arnia sector along the International Border. They also recovered ammunition, eatables and other ‘war-like’ stores from the spot.The tunnel was detected near the Mukesh border outpost this morning when the area domination party was sanitising the area.Addressing a press conference, Inspector General (IG) of the BSF, Jammu frontier, Ramawtar said after seeing suspicious movement 10-12 armed Pakistani nationals near the Dhamala nullah on the Pakistani side, the area domination party surveyed the area and detected the tunnel. “The BSF party taking all risk in a thick forest area, having a number of unexploded mortar bombs fired from Pakistan, reached close to the area. On observing the BSF party, the Pakistani nationals ran away, leaving their huge ‘war-like’ stores. The BSF began a detailed search in the area and found an unfinished tunnel which is about 12-14 feet long and approximately three feet in height,” the IG said. Charging Pakistan Rangers with backstabbing, he said, “On their invite, we held a flag meeting on Friday only and today the tunnel was detected. We remain alert and it was due to our alacrity that the tunnel was found,” Ramawtar added. The IG said the recovery of digging tools and freshly dug earth in the area indicated that the tunnelling had started recently with an intent to infiltrate terrorists across the border. He said regular inputs regarding the movement of anti-national elements across the border had kept the force on a highest alert.During the search operation, the BSF recovered two AK 47 magazines, one hand grenade, 7.62 ammunition, one magazine pouch, three head lamps, compass, three haver sacks, three forest hats, four sleeping bags, six digging tools, six wooden planks and eatables among other things.