Army troops discovered a 50-long tunnel near a forward post along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu region's sensitive Pallanwala sector which could have been used to infiltrate militants into India. In a statement, army spokesman said that during routine patrolling in Pallanwala sector army personnel found a tunnel approximately 50 metres long near the Chakla post on the Indian side of the Line of Control which is leading towards the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The tunnel is approximately two-and-a-half feet wide and three-and-a-half feet high. It appears to be an incomplete tunnel as no exit has been found on the Indian side. The spokesman said troops are carrying out thorough search of the area to ascertain further details which is taking time due to the existing minefield. The tunnel is near the stretch where militants had made an infiltration bid on July 22 this year in which an ultra and a jawan were killed.
The spokesman said the army is strengthening its counter-infiltration grid to prevent any attempt by Pakistan Army to send ultras into India. Senior officers, including, Corps Commanders of the 15 and the 16 Corps, are constantly reviewing preparedness of troops on the ground.
Meanwhile, Pakistan resumed unprovoked firing and shelling in the Arnia sub sector and R S Pura sector of Jammu district last night. Two more ceasefire violations took place yesterday from 9.30 AM to around 2 PM in Shahpur sub-sector along the LoC in Poonch sector. Pakistan resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on 22 border outposts and 13 villages in R S Pura secotor yesterday night. With this, the number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan has gone up to 18 in a fortnight.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and asked BSF to effectively retaliate the firing by Pakistan. Director General of BSF D K Pathak briefed the Minister about the situation along the Internation Border, particularly in Jammu region, where Pakistani forces have been continously firing towards Indian posts and villages. BSF DG informed the Home Minister that the entire force of the BSF is on high alert and giving fitting reply to Pakistani firing.
