J&K: Cross-Border Tunnel Possibly Used by Nagrota Terrorists Found

BSF troopers have discovered an underground tunnel on the international border in J&K’s Samba district.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Officials on Sunday, 22 November, said that Border Security Force (BSF) troopers have discovered an underground tunnel on the International Border in J&K's Samba district. The BSF said that the tunnel originates from Pakistan’s side of the IB and exits into the Indian side in Samba district, Jammu.

BSF officials said that the terrorists involved in the Nagrota incident, in which four suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were killed in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this week, may have used this tunnel.

"It seems terrorists involved in Nagrotra encounter used this 30-40 metre long tunnel as it's a fresh one. We believe they had a guide who took them till the highway,” N S Jamwal, IG, BSF Jammu said, according to ANI.

WHAT DID THE BSF SAY ABOUT THE TUNNEL?

BSF on Twitter said that it the tunnel had been detected by them along with J&K police, adding that it “appears that proper engineering effort has gone in making the tunnel indicating the nefarious hand of the establishment in abetting terrorist activities.”

It also said that the exit of the tunnel was “carefully” and “meticulously” concealed by thick bushes and soil and wild growth.

“The mouth of the tunnel is strengthened and reinforced by the sand bags with markings of Karachi, Pakistan. It is a freshly dug tunnel and appears to be used for the first time,” the BSF added.

WHAT IS THE NAGROTA ENCOUNTER?

In the wee hours of Thursday, 19 November, an encounter between suspected terrorists and security forces took place near Ban Toll Plaza in the Nagrota area of Jammu district. Four terrorists were killed in the encounter that lasted for four hours.

A truck was allegedly intercepted at 5 am during a routine check on Thursday, following which the encounter occurred.

The terrorists were travelling in a truck on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was intercepted by the police at a toll plaza near Nagrota, news agency IANS reported.

According to IGP Mukesh Singh, they were carrying a huge cache of arms and ammunition, and had come to execute a big plan.

WHAT ACTION HAS INDIA TAKEN?

Pakistan High Commission officials were summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday over the incident, as India conveyed its “strong concern” to Pakistan on the “terror attack planned” by the outfit.

“Pakistan Cd’A (Chargé d'Affaires) was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs and a strong protest was lodged at the attempted attack, which was only prevented from happening by the alertness of the Indian security forces. It was demanded that Pakistan desists from it policy of supporting terrorists and terror group operating from its territory and dismantle the terror infrastructure operated by terrorist outfits to launch attacks in other countries,” the MEA said in a statement.

“The Government of India is firmly and resolutely committed to take all necessary measures to safeguard its national security in the fight against terrorism,” it added.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to say that “a nefarious plot to target grassroots level democratic exercise in Jammu and Kashmir” has been defeated.

PM Modi’s tweets had come amid reports of him holding a security review with Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and top intelligence establishment over the Nagrota encounter.