NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) foiled an infiltration attempt by shooting dead two people who tried to cross the border from Pakistan into Punjab late Thursday night, officials said.
Three people were spotted moving toward the Indian side near the Rajoke border outpost in the Tarn Taran sector at about 12:30 am. They were approaching from Pakistan’s Chattanwala area.
"The troops repeatedly warned them to stop and turn back, but the intruders did not halt and continued to advance," said a senior official.
Officials said BSF personnel opened fire after perceiving a security threat, killing two of the three on the spot. The third person fled back toward Pakistan.
Preliminary information indicates both of those killed were Pakistani nationals, an officer said. Their identities have not been officially confirmed. The bodies were handed over to the local police for further identification.
The officer said it was the second infiltration incident in Tarn Taran in the past seven months. Security agencies have stepped up vigilance along the border, and a search operation is underway.
The BSF and local police are investigating the incident.
The incident comes amid continued security concerns along Punjab’s 553-km-long international border with Pakistan, which has witnessed several infiltration and cross-border smuggling attempts in recent years. However, several of these were successfully foiled by the BSF jawans.
Border guarding along the fence has been enhanced with drones being put into action, wherein the security forces can easily capture any suspicious movement along the international border.
