No smuggling of Taliban weapons in Kashmir: BSF

SRINAGAR — Border Security Forces on Monday said that there is no threat from the Taliban at the moment.

While talking to reporters in Kashmir capital Srinagar, BSF Inspector General, Kashmir, Raja Babu Singh said that there is nothing like Taliban at the moment but still they are vigilant and keeping an eye on the developments.

Singh further added that no evidence to date proves that weapons from Afghanistan are making their way into Kashmir.

Stating that threat from drones is real, IGP, BSF said that this year they are getting a few drones to tackle the threat. He said though last year the movement of drones was noticed, but “no one ventured inside our territory. This year, we are taking enough measures, anti-drone techniques to deal with the problem.”

In response to a question, BSF Inspector General, Kashmir, Raja Babu Singh said that since the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, the situation along the Line of Control is peaceful. He said infiltration bids have come down drastically.

He said last year, 58 infiltration attempts were made, in which five militants were neutralized, 21 returned and one surrendered.

“There have been reports that 31 infiltrated in 2021, 130 in 2019, and 36 in 2020,” he said, adding that last year, BSF successfully recovered or seized three AK-47 rifles, six nine-mm pistols, 1,071 ammunitions, 20 hand grenades, two IEDs and 17.3 kg of heroin worth Rs 88 crore in different operational incidents.

He claimed that there are reports that “104 to 135 militants” are present at different launch pads across the LoC and waiting to infiltrate while there are also reports that some guides have gone from here and crossed the LoC to that side. So, we need to monitor them as and when they return. Their families need to be monitored.”