Khadki ordnance factory official shifted

TNN | Jun 26, 2017
PUNE: Nearly 10 days after two employees of the Ammunition Factory Khadki (AFK) died in a blast while shifting explosives, authorities of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on Friday transferred senior general manager (SGM) C S Vishwakarma to a Kanpur-based ordnance factory.

A senior official of the factory confirmed the development and said, "After the explosion, authorities at the helm of affairs were not happy with AFK's explanation, presented to them by SGM C S Vishwakarma. As a result, they transferred him to Kanpur."

Vishwakarma, however, told TOI, "I don't think the transfer was because of the incident (explosion). It's an administrative decision."

Other officials said the SGM's tenure was satisfactory as he had achieved the set production target. He had also expedited and streamlined the production lines at the factory.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/khadki-ordnance-factory-official-shifted/articleshow/59315328.cms

Jaitley rules out Governor’s rule in JK

‘Forces have an upper hand after a long time’

RK Monitoring Desk

Srinagar, June 25:

 Union Defense Minister, Arun Jaitley has ruled out Governor’s rule in Jammu Kashmir.
“Governor’s rule cannot be implemented in the Jammu Kashmir based on media coverage about the ground situation in the Valley and also because it will send out a negative impression to the world community that the State is not being governed by democratically-elected representatives,” Jaitley said in an interview to Republic TV.
He said bureaucracy cannot continuously govern the State as after some months the opposite narrative and demand for elected representatives would be made.
Jaitley said the situation in Jammu Kashmir should not be judged only on the strength of sporadic incidents as for the past one-and-a-half months there has been a huge improvement in the situation.
He said troops and paramilitary forces were monitoring militants whether local or foreigners operating within the state.
Appreciating paramilitary forces and troops especially Border Security Forces (BSF) and Army posted along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), Jaitley said BSF has complete dominance and they almost every day check infiltration and stop militants, and liquidate many of them.
Referring to the most-hit areas of Kashmir, Jaitley said there was trouble in two or three districts in south Kashmir while in other parts sporadic incidents may be taking place but the kind of causalities being inflicted upon militants was huge.
Jaitley said the separatists were being funded from across the border for personal and political purposes and they had lost credibility.
“The evidence of this is that not only comparing it with 2012 but with 2016 and early 2017, the number of stone throwers particularly when militants struck has dwindled and so for first time, the forces after a long time have fairly an upper hand,” he said.
Talking about the present situation of Kashmir, Jaitley said nobody could ever claim the situation had become normal as Jammu Kashmir was a state which is impacted by both militancy and separatism and its militancy is partly encouraged across the border and partly bond with them.
“Therefore we are fighting a grave situation and there are chances from time to time where militants will strike back and unhappily we have to witness such incidents in reality,” he said.
Jaitley said taking the overall picture from the frame, if militants have carried three or four recent attacks, the kind of injury and the loss which is being inflicted by the local police, CRPF or Army on the militants has resulted in most of them being on the run.
Condemning frequent attacks on paramilitary forces, troops and local police, Jaitley said the reality was those incidents were very serious, condemnable and very unfortunate and they were taking place because Kashmir had been impacted by the militancy instigated from across the border.
However, Jaitley said radicalisation certainly had taken place in Kashmir and over the last 10-15 years, Kashmir which was known for its Sufism and traditions and culture, was witnessing the movement of Wahabism.

http://www.risingkashmir.com/news/jaitley-rules-out-governors-rule-in-jk

No exchange of sweets between BSF and Pakistan Rangers at Wagah border on Eid

Amid tension prevailing between India and Pakistan over terror attacks on security forces and ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), there was no exchange of sweets between the border guards at the joint checkpost at Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar.  

Officials of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers exchange sweets on religious occasions and national days of both nations but the tradition has been given a break a few times in the past five-six years.

Meanwhile, amid tight security in other parts of the country, the muslim community celebrated the festival of Eid. In Chandigarh, hundreds of Muslims converged at the Sector 20 Jama Masjid and other mosques to pray and celebrate Eid and greet each other. People turned out in large numbers to offer prayers.

In Punjab, the Muslim population is concentrated in the Malerkotla area near Patiala, 110 km from here, and in Gurdaspur district. Muslims in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur and some other towns also celebrated Eid.
http://www.newsx.com/national/67346-no-exchange-of-sweets-between-bsf-and-pakistan-rangers-at-wagah-border-on-eid

Raksha Shakti University holds round table conference for CAPFs

• TOI
 
• Ahmedabad
 
• Sun,25 Jun 2017    
• • 
    

Summary: RSU officials also put forth the idea of psychological profiling in context of CAPFs. RSU is already conducting specialized courses for the in-service police officers.Sahay emphasized on bridging the gap between academia and field practitioners. The CAPF officers said that they want to collaborate with RSU on issues like human rights, gender sensitization, soft skills, cyber security and other technological advancements. AHMEDABAD: Raksha Shakti University (RSU) on Friday held a round table conference on 'Educational Needs of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)' in Ahmedabad, where representatives of seven CAPFs participated.The conference was chaired by RSU director Vikas Sahay and was attended by training heads and senior officers from the CAPFs including RP Udit, commandant (training), FHQ, Border Security Force (BSF); Gorakh Singh, GSO-1, Assam Rifles; Sandeep Khosla, DIG, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP); PK Gupta, DIG (training) FHQ, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB); RK Sharma, DIG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Raj Mohan P, senior DSC, Railway Protection Force (RPF).The officials deliberated on contemporary educational needs of their forces and academic programmes which can be run by RSU for them keeping an eye on the future scenario.

AHMEDABAD: Raksha Shakti University (RSU) on Friday held a round table conference on 'Educational Needs of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)' in Ahmedabad, where representatives of seven CAPFs participated.The conference was chaired by RSU director Vikas Sahay and was attended by training heads and senior officers from the CAPFs including RP Udit, commandant (training), FHQ, Border Security Force (BSF); Gorakh Singh, GSO-1, Assam Rifles; Sandeep Khosla, DIG, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP); PK Gupta, DIG (training) FHQ, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB); RK Sharma, DIG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Raj Mohan P, senior DSC, Railway Protection Force (RPF).The officials deliberated on contemporary educational needs of their forces and academic programmes which can be run by RSU for them keeping an eye on the future scenario. RSU is already conducting specialized courses for the in-service police officers.Sahay emphasized on bridging the gap between academia and field practitioners. The CAPF officers said that they want to collaborate with RSU on issues like human rights, gender sensitization, soft skills, cyber security and other technological advancements. 

RSU officials also put forth the idea of psychological profiling in context of CAPFs

https://www.nyoooz.com/news/ahmedabad/847660/raksha-shakti-university-holds-round-table-conference-for-capfs/

Rise in mosques, madarsas on Pak border in Rajasthan: BSF DG

Press Trust of India  |  Jaipur June 25, 2017

Areas close to the International Border in Rajasthan have witnessed a spurt in establishment of mosques and madarsas which has raised concern in the Border Security Force (BSF) which guards the border in the state. 

BSF DG K K Sharma said an increase in the number of mosques and madarsa has been noticed in the border areas in the last 10 years and the message coming out of those places is not of peace.

"We have noticed marked increased in the number of madarsas and mosques in the last 10 years but it is not our mandate to take action against them, we pass on information to the local administration because the construction of such places is regulated by the state government," Sharma said. 

He said "The people who come to most of these madarsas to teach and the maulvis are not from the state which indicates that the message coming out of those places is not that of peace". 

Sharma said that the incidence of smuggling from across the border in Rajasthan is low as compared to the border in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and the border in the desert state is peaceful. 

"We have increased deployment in Punjab therefore there is some pressure in Srigangangar in Rajasthan and there also we have strengthened our deployment," he said while speaking at the India Today conclave here. 

On the border management, he said the BSF is in the process of modernising the border defence by incorporating latest technologies. 

He said the BSF will implement a comprehensive integrated border management system on the entire Pakistan border after implementing it in Jammu and Kashmir on a pilot basis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/rise-in-mosques-madarsas-on-pak-border-in-rajasthan-bsf-dg-117062500013_1.html

Operation Brahmaputra: Tracking cow smuggling on India-Bangladesh riverine border

Manish Prasad, New Delhi [Updated:25 Jun 2017,

Brahmaputra river, one of the widest and wildest trans-boundary rivers that flows through India, is often a cause of distress for people living on its bank. The river that flows as wide as 10 kilometres in some parts of Assam has become a boon for cow smugglers. As the cows are sold at much higher price in Bangladesh than in West Bengal and Assam, the Assam-Bangladesh and West Bengal-Bangladesh borders are widely used to smuggle cows. There have often been accusations of complicity against Border Security Force or BSF but the innovative ways of smugglers make it extremely difficult for security forces to stop such illegal activity. 

Dhubri, a district in Assam situated on the banks of mighty Brahmaputra, has become the Ground Zero of cattle smuggling with cow smugglers using the terrain to their advantage. 

Intelligence Wing of BSF received information that cattle smugglers in India use code-words to communicate with their counterparts in Bangladesh. In India, smugglers tie animals on banana trunk and leave them on the mercy of flowing river. On the other side of the river, Bangladeshi smugglers catch the animals and sell them in local markets at higher prices. Couriers in India receive hefty amount just for bringing the cattle to the banks of river, tying them to the trunk and leave them in water. 

Boats are also used to smuggle cattle. Cows and calves are inhumanly stuffed inside the boat and covered to hide them from the plain sight. Boats are preferred mode of transport for smugglers but when patrolling intensifies, they just tie cows together and leave them in river on the mercy of water flow. 

Besides Brahmaputra, its tributary Kaljani River is also used for cattle smuggling. India TV reached Dhumri to report from the ground on how cow smuggling is done on the border. India TV’s camera caught many shocking images of cow smuggling. 

BSF, which guards the India-Bangladesh border, faces many challenges, chief among them the riverine border. For the paramilitary force, guarding fenced border is comparatively easier than guarding open riverine border, the main route for cow smugglers. However, since last couple of years, the BSF has intensified its efforts to stop cow smuggling on the border and increased patrolling in Brahmaputra river. 

http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india-operation-brahmaputra-tracking-cow-smuggling-on-india-bangladesh-riverine-border-387951

Missing sibling reunited with family after 30 years

Published: Jun 24, 2017

Thrissur-  A man found dead at the Thrissur railway station on June 17 has a reunion with family after 30 years. Baby alias Pattalam Raju who was last seen by his relatives 30 years ago has finally reunited with his siblings. A soldier in the BSF, Baby came to his home at Idasserykunnel in Wayanad 30 years back and thereafter the family lost touch with him. He remained untraceable to his family ever since then only till they identified his body at the General Hospital Mortuary.   Baby joined the BSF right after pre degree. His brother Joy still remembers going to Bangalore with Baby for the induction. The last time he came home was after the one year training at the academy. His sisters Lucy, Moly and Elizabeth recounted that he had a special interest in sports like volleyball. The family had launched searches for him in 1995 when their mother Annamma passed away and later in 2002 when their father Sebastian died. It is not known when Baby left his job and returned. He was under treatment for hip bone pain till the day of his death. The police who could not find his home since he left no trail had to finally issue a crime card to identify him.

Read more at: http://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/offbeat/missing-sibling-reunited-with-family-after-30-years-1.2038552

BSF takes out awareness rally against drug abuse

BSF personnel take part in a cycle rally to make people aware of drug abuse, at India Gate in New Delhi on Friday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 23

To observe International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking falling on June 23, the Border Security Force (BSF) has organised a cycle rally at India Gate Lawn today. The aim of the rally is to spread the awareness against drug abuse and physical fitness amongst citizens, particularly among youth. “The BSF has always been aware of its social responsibilities and has played an active role in contributing to the national causes. Understanding the common concern that drug abuse is undercutting traditional values and threatening the existence of stable families and communities, the BSF Family Welfare Association has come forward and organised the rally all along the borders guarded by the BSF to spread awareness against abuse of drugs,” said Renu Sharma, president of the association. Olympics medalist wrestler Sushil Kumar with Paralympian medalist javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia flagged off the rally with an aim to highlight the importance of effective investment in the well-being of children and youth, their families and their communities to fight problem of illicit drugs. More than 500 cyclists at the rally covered a distance of 20 km in the lanes and by-lanes of the city with a slogan “BSF fought drugs free India”. Meanwhile, at the flag off venue, a nukkad natak group, Asmita, gave a poignant performance on evil of drug abuse and moved the audience present there. The BSF not only stands guards at the borders to stop intrusions aimed at hitting on the sovereignty and integrity of the country, but also is extremely sensitive to the social evils like drugs that might creep in through the borders. “The International Day against Drug Abuse is observed worldwide on June 26 every year but we have started observing it from today, as part of it,” said KK Sharma, DG BSF.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/delhi/bsf-takes-out-awareness-rally-against-drug-abuse/426813.html

City cops gear up for Lord Jagannath’s sojourn

TOI Ahmedabad Fri,23 Jun 2017

Summary: "Rath Yatra bandobast is one of the most elaborate, and has been perfected over decades by scores of police officers," said a senior city police official. There will be 26 companies of paramilitary forces including CRPF, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Border Security Force (BSF). Ahmedabad: A convoy of police vehicles of about 1km length covered the entire 18km Rath Yatra route on Thursday morning as senior police officials surveyed the route in vehicles and on foot, while taking stock of local issues. Recently, the NSG's newest hub was operationalized near the state capital Gandhinagar. Over 2,000 police personnel participated in the exercise.The dress rehearsal for maintaining security for the Rath Yatra, comprising all senior police officers including city police commissioner, commandants of paramilitary forces and armed police, will take place on Friday morning.Over 2 lakh participants will be hosted Jagannathji Temple and Saraspur.

Ahmedabad: A convoy of police vehicles of about 1km length covered the entire 18km Rath Yatra route on Thursday morning as senior police officials surveyed the route in vehicles and on foot, while taking stock of local issues. Over 2,000 police personnel participated in the exercise.The dress rehearsal for maintaining security for the Rath Yatra, comprising all senior police officers including city police commissioner, commandants of paramilitary forces and armed police, will take place on Friday morning.Over 2 lakh participants will be hosted Jagannathji Temple and Saraspur. Preparations are in full swing to ready the chariots at Jamalpur and food at Saraspur.For many police personnel, this will be their first participation in the security of a mega procession, and they are being trained in required intricacies, police officers said.According to a release by Pradipsinh Jadeja, MoS (home), made on Thursday, 20,034 police and paramilitary personnel will be deployed for Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad on June 25.For the first time, a company of National Security Guards (NSG) will be roped in. 

Recently, the NSG's newest hub was operationalized near the state capital Gandhinagar. There will be 26 companies of paramilitary forces including CRPF, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Border Security Force (BSF)."Rath Yatra bandobast is one of the most elaborate, and has been perfected over decades by scores of police officers," said a senior city police official. Over the years, newest technologies, whether surveillance camera vehicles or 'Netra' drones, GPS tagging of chariots or mobile-based messaging services - everything has been tried and tested for the procession that sees lakhs of devotees thronging the city roads to get a glimpse of the lords said the official.

https://www.nyoooz.com/news/ahmedabad/846652/city-cops-gear-up-for-lord-jagannaths-sojourn/

Jawans can now directly call up top brass at MHA, paramilitary to voice their grievances

The Millenium Post

 Shimontini Bhattacharjee  1 March 2017 New Delhi

Following two incidents in which a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier Constable Pramodh Kumar committed suicide and another BSF Jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav cried foul, the top officials of both MHA and all Paramilitary forces have jointly decided to provide the Jawans with their personal contact numbers to lodge grievances.  "During the two-day meeting of Parliamentary Standing Committee of Home Affairs Parliamentarians of TMC, Congress and Left have asked for reports from the ministry officials. Initially, they were refused but later officials of paramilitary forces enlightened the Rajya Sabha Chairman about their new initiative," said sources. 64 top MHA officials including Home Secretary Rajiv Meherishi and DIG BSF, DIG CRPF, DIG ITBP and other officials were present in the meetings. On Sunday, Kumar who was posted along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle. Following this, another BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav belonging to the 29 battalion Seema Suraksha Bal released a video to oust the corruption present in the system. The video, released early this year, revealed the deeply ingrained corruption by saying that, "The troops were deprived of the basic necessity, food." Brushing aside the allegations put forward by Yadav, the BSF told the Delhi High Court that there were no such complaints. But, on Monday during the parliamentary meeting, the MHA officials admitted that they do not have any food and rashan policies for Jawans. Also, TMC MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Derek O'Brien, Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhuri, P. Chidambaram and Left MP Sitaram Yechury have raised 21 questions regarding the border security management. The government is yet to answer few of them. Opposing the initiative, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhuri said, "It is complete eye-wash. The Jawans are afraid of the system and so they will never lodge complaints willingly." 

Read more at: http://www.millenniumpost.in/big-stories/jawans-can-now-directly-call-up-top-brass-at-mha-paramilitary-to-voice-their-grievances-217677

Four persons injured in BSF firing in Tripura

Agartala | Tuesday, Feb 28 2017

Four people sustained serious injuries while one had to be admitted to Gomati district hospital in Udaipur as BSF jawans opened fire allegedly on a group of ostensibly innocent people.

The incident has sparked resentment among the villagers.

Police said the backside of Rajnagar hospital in Belonia subdivision in South Tripura has still been unfenced and yesterday late in the afternoon a group of cattle smugglers took a number of cattle across the unfenced border.

The BSF jawans had been chasing them but failed to trace or rescue the cattle. At a stage, BSF opened fire upon a group of people sitting in front of a mosque who had claimed to be innocent. Four persons were injured and one of them, known as Farid Mia, had to be rushed to Udaipur hospital while the remaining three escaped with minor injuries.

However, BSF said that those fired upon had collaborated with the cattle smugglers while local people claimed that the unprovoked firing had occurred on innocent people. UNI BB AKM 1728

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-1168948.Xml

http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20170228/3064877.html

Kashmir: Pellet guns with deflectors, Force's new jugaad for stone-pelters

The BSF has made certain modifications in pellet guns that are used in Kashmir Valley to disperse protesters and stone-pelters. The new guns are being tested by the BSF. After successful testing, the CRPF will be using the new pellet guns, which is said to less lethal yet equally effective.

Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu | Edited by Prabhash K Dutta

New Delhi, February 27, 2017 |

Facing criticism over continued use of pellet guns to deal with stone-pelters in Jammu and Kashmir, the CRPF has come up with some modifications in its weapon.

The new pellet guns will have a deflector to make it less lethal yet equally effective. The modified guns are currently under production at Tekanpur Academy of the Border Security Force (BSF).

The CRPF uses the pellet gun in the Valley as its primary weapon in dealing with stone-pelters and protesters.

PELLET GUNS IN KASHMIR: THINGS TO KNOW

1. The CRPF has come under heavy criticism for using these guns as over 100 people received serious injuries in their eyes during five months of protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July last year.
2. Speaking at his farewell press conference today CRPF Director General K Durga Prasad said, "BSF has made modifications in pellet guns. We are testing it before using it in the field... We are working on introducing pellets guns with modifications that will make it less lethal."
3. The new guns will have deflector to ensure that the bullets emanating from the barrel do not head upwards. Durga Prasad said, "A common complaint was that some of the protesters were hit in upper part of the body. Though the force has been advised to fire at the feet, the deflectors will ensure the pellet hit in lower part of the body when fired on protesters."
4. CRPF IG (Training) Atul Karwal said the aim of deflector is to bring down the margin of error from 40 per cent to 2 per cent though hitting above the target may not be ruled out.
5. Following an uproar over loss of vision of civilians including women and children after being hit by pellets during the 2016, an All Party Parliamentary Delegation visited Jammu and Kashmir. The members raised concerns over excessive use of pellet guns.
6. Later a 7-member committee constituted by Union Home Ministry proposed use of PAVA shells. But on ground Pava shells were found to be ineffective, an aspect which was communicated to BSF factory in Takenpur.
7. Speaking to India Today a top official said, "The PAVA shells were effective in closed environment and not in open one. The CRPF wanted to increase volume of chemical Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide to create nauseating effect on stone-pelters. Secondly the PAVA shell should impact immediately on hitting the ground without giving time for stone-pleters, who otherwise may lob it back towards security forces."
8. DG Durga Prasad said "PAVA shell introduced as substitute to pellets gun is not the only solution. We need to use something else along with PAVA."
9. According to CRPF DG, 47 incidents of grenade lobbing, three instances of firing from the crowd and 43 petrol/acid attacks on CRPF personnel were reported in Kashmir. There were 142 incidents of stone pelting reported on CRPF camps.
10. "After Burhan Wani's encounter, 2,580 CRPF personnel were injured in Jammu and Kashmir. MHA will provide Rs 2,500 for minor injuries and Rs 7,500 for grievous injuries to CRPF personnel injured in incidents of stone pelting in Kashmir," Durga Prasad said.
11. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kashmir-valley-stone-pelting-pellet-guns-crpf/1/892433.html

Seven runners from Rajasthan reach Wagah, meet BSF jawans

Updated: Feb 27, 2017

HT Correspondent
Hindustan Times, Amritsar

The team of runners with their supporters on their way to the Wagah border at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on Sunday.(Sameer Sehgal /Hindustan Times)

Initiating a run against terrorism, a team of seven runners started their journey from Jaipur on February 19 from where they claim to have run around 260 km till Delhi and further crossing various cities, they reached Amritsar on Sunday.

This team of runners is headed by a police inspector from Rajasthan Sunil Sharma, who along with hundreds of supporters reached the holy city and paid obeisance at the Golden Temple from where, they reached Jallianwala Bagh. From there, they moved towards Queens Road on vehicles and reached Attari border and two kms before Wagah, again started their run to give a message to the neighboring country asking them to ‘stop sponsoring terrorism’.

Standing on the international border, they interacted with BSF jawans telling them the feedback of people about jawans who are safeguarding our borders and sacrificing their lives.

Sharma said, “We have come to Wagah to send out a message to the neighbouring country to stop sponsoring terrorism and attacking Indian forces on border areas. India won’t be silent anymore.”

Sunil with runner Verinder Soni also raised a slogan ‘Atank mita denge nakshe se tumhara naam (Will remove the face of terrorism from the world map)’.

The team members belong to different professional streams such as doctor, cop and industrialist.

The team said during the run, they interacted with people to know their take on the neighboring country’s cheap terrorist activities and noted that people aggressively were ready to fight against terrorism.

This run was a big attraction in the city on Sunday as the runners donned trendy t-shirts with ‘Hunkar Daur’ printed on it and they hoisted the Indian national flag during their run.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/seven-runners-from-rajasthan-reach-wagah-meet-bsf-jawans/story-l6B2K8dPQiEhP6tE67EHBO.html

BSF arrests Chandigarh man who tried to cross India-Pakistan border to marry Facebook friend from Lahore

Sikandar Khan, 30, tried crossing the India-Pakistan border, without passport, to meet and marry his 'Facebook friend' from Lahore. He was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) after spotting him at the border under suspicious circumstances.

IndiaToday.in | Written by Sanjana Agnihotri

New Delhi, February 27, 2017

-

A 30-year-old man was hoping to cross the India-Pakistan border from Lakho Ke Behram village in Ferozepur, Punjab, to reach Lahore only to meet his 'Facebook friend' and marry her.

But, Sikandar Khan, a resident of Sector 49 in Chandigarh, was nabbed by the BSF for "moving under suspicious circumstances" and trying to sneak out of the country.

"A patrolling team of Border Security Force (BSF) caught Sikandar Khan who wanted to go to Pakistan to meet a woman whom he loved," said Ferozepur DSP Balwinder Singh as reported by PTI.

Also read: Kashmir: Pellet guns with deflectors, CRPF's new jugaad for stone-pelters

When inquired, Sikandar said that he wanted to meet and get married to his lover who lives in Faisalabad, Pakistan and hence planned the escape. He also told the BSF that his lover, who he met via Facebook, works in a bank in Pakistan and he chose the route through Fazilka because it is closer to Lahore. They started talking to each other two years ago and he claims that they soon fell in love.

Sikandar worked with the matrimonial website shaadi.com till last year and has previously worked with the Lalit Hotel, Chandigarh. The police has booked him under section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967 and presented him to court to take a two-day custody.

Also read: Watch: BSF jawan pens inspiring poem on his willingness to fight or die for the country

He was taken to the joint-interrogation centre in Amritsar for inquiry. Moreover, secret service authorities too where informed because the police believes that Sikandar is hiding something. 

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bsf-arrest-man-trying-to-cross-border-meet-facebook-friend-marry-lover/1/892393.html

BSF sends back Pakistani national who crossed over to India

From HT: Feb 27, 2017

PTI 
Gurdaspur

A 50-year-old Pakistani national had crossed over to India on Sunday.(Reuters/ Representative Photo)

In a goodwill gesture, a 50-year-old Pakistani national was sent back to his home country on Monday, a day after he inadvertantly crossed over to the Indian territory in Punjab.

“On Februray 26, BSF troops of Border Out Post Kassowal, Gurdaspur Sector apprehended one Pak National namely Sabir Hussain, son of Fazal Hussain, resident of Narowal (Pakistan) while he inadvertently crossed International Boundary and entered inside the Indian territory and reached near Border Security Fence,” a BSF official said here.

He said the Pakistan Rangers were contacted on Monday and Sabir was handed over to them on humanitarian grounds.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bsf-sends-back-pakistani-national-who-crossed-over-to-india/story-0REPfG8nBAeJef9B0BPWhK.html

Rotary Club and BSF organize car peace rally

The Sentinel
Silchar, Feb 28, 2017

A peace car rally was organized by Rotary Club of Green Land Silchar in association with the Border Security Force (BSF) on February 26, 2017 from Masimpur Frontier Headquarters BSF, Silchar, to ICP Sutarkandi in Karimganj, Assam, to spread a message of peace and brotherhood. The Rotary International has been actively functioning all across the globe for more than half a century and sponsoring training in the promotion of peace in seven Institutes across the world. Amidst loud cheering, heart throbbing and scintillating moment, the rally was flagged off by N S Jamwal, Inspector General, Frontier Mizoram and Cachar Border Security Force in the presence of BSF senior officers, jawans, families, dignitaries of different Civil organizations and members of Rotary Club, Silchar.

Addressing the gathering, N S Jamwal appreciated the idea of spreading the message of peace through Car Rally and desired to energize the efforts of BSF and the Rotary Club to work for a common cause of peace and communal harmony in the border area and hinterland. Dr Prosenjit, President Rotary Club shared the joint vision of the BSF and the Club and pledged to work together for a common objective of spreading peace. A cavalcade of 17 vehicles, which comprised 13 civilian and 4 of BSF, moved towards their destination, ICP Sutarkandi via Badarpur - Bhanga - Karimganj town –ICP Sutarkandi, Karimganj, Assam. En route people cheered the participants and enjoyed the event. Some Rotarians from Sylhet, Bangladesh joined the rally at ICP Sutarkandi Border and conducted a joint meeting. Ergo, Club flags were exchanged to spread the message of friendship. Sh Akhileshwar Singh, DIG (Ops), Sh Om Parkash, DIG, SHQ Silchar, Sh A Asthana, DIG (G) and Sh Raj Kumar Basatta, Commandant, SHQ Silchar participated from BSF in Car Rally.

http://www.sentinelassam.com/cachar/story.php?sec=2&subsec=12&id=300102&dtP=2017-03-11&ppr=1#300102

Time to rethink jawans' leave policy: BSF IG

TNN | Dec 2, 2015
AGARTALA: Top-ranking officers of the Border Security Force (BSF) have agreed to rethink the leave and entertainment policies for jawans posted along the international border.

Jawans posted along the Tripura frontier have long been demanding better amenities and more annual leave for proper management of the India-Bangladesh border.

Interacting with the media at an event to mark the golden jubilee raising day of the paramilitary force, IG, Tripura Frontier, MF Farooque on Tuesday said the jawans' demand was legitimate.

"The jawans are even taking the extreme decision of committing suicide as they feel a sense of alienation at the border. The job of a BSF jawan is challenging in itself. The place of posting, always at the border, is difficult as civil life is minimal, as are other amenities like water supply, power and job satisfaction," Farooqui said. Two jawans of the Tripura Frontier committed suicide this year. "The exact cause of suicide is unknown but we have been doing our best to make every jawan happy," he said.

Jawans complained that they are allowed only two months' leave every year. As they are posted at border posts or on sentry duty, they perform roster duty even on Sundays and other public holidays, which go uncompensated during their leave period in many cases.

The IG said the Tripura Frontier has prepared a separate plan for better border management, taking into account the challenges of militancy, smuggling, other trans-border crime, peculiarities of terrain and demographic differences. Farooqui said the situation in Tripura is further complicated by the fact that it is prone to malaria which restricts frequent movement of jawans.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agartala/Time-to-rethink-jawans-leave-policy-BSF-IG/articleshow/50007174.cms

6 suspected ultras held in Malkangiri

Press Trust of India

Malkangiri, Dec 2: Six suspected Maoist rebels were arrested in the district Wednesday on what is the first day of the commemoration by the ultras of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Week.

They were captured during a joint operation by Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Special Operation Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel in Rajalkonda forest area, said superintendent of police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra.

The rebels, who were active in the Kalimela area of Malkangiri division under the Andhra-Orissa border special zonal committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), were moving inside the forest when the security personnel spotted and overpowered them during a joint combing operation, he said.

Involved in Maoist activities since 2006-07, the alleged ultras were involved in a number of offences, including of loot, blasts and killings, the police said.

The arrested persons were identified as Deba Kabasi (30), Jaga Kabasi (25), Sukra Kabasi (25), Rama Madkami (25), Soma Podiami (23) and Gobinda Khemudu (22), they said.

The arrest of the six accused was described by the police as a major achievement during the PLGA Week, which the Maoists observe to pay homage to the rebels who have died earlier.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened to prevent any untoward incident and ensure normalcy in Malkangiri and nearby areas during the PLGA Week, the SP said.

Security agencies, including BSF, CRPF, SOG and DVF, have intensified combing operations and patrolling in the area, the police said. PTI

http://www.orissapost.com/6-suspected-ultras-held-in-malkangiri/

6 return to Bangladesh from Indian jail

From DailyStar Bangladesh
December 03, 2015 

Six Bangladeshis returned home after serving two years in an Indian jail through Burimari immigration check post in Patgram upazila of the district on Tuesday afternoon.

The Indian immigration police handed them over to Bangladesh immigration police at Burimari-Changrabandha border zero line in presence of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF).

They are Nabi Hossain, 18, son of Bangsher Ali, Year Hossain, 22, son of Nadu Sheikh, Haridas Roy, 23, son of Bhabeshwar Roy, and Shyamal Kumar Roy, 18, son of Nishi Chandra Roy of Battali village of Deviganj upazila in Panchagrah district, and Rabiul Islam, 18, son of Alek Miah of Adamdighee upazila, and Shahidul Islam, 20, son of Amzad Hossain of Dupchaehia upazila in Bogra district.

BGB and immigration police sources said the six were arrested by BSF personnel while they were entering India illegally through different borders in India's Cooch Behar district two years back. They were produced in a court that sent them to jail.

Returnee Shahidul Islam said he went to look for jobs in brick kilns or at construction sites in India.

Sub-Inspector Aminul Islam, in-charge of Burimari immigration police, said police handed over the six to their family members at the immigration check post on Tuesday night.

http://www.thedailystar.net/country/6-return-indian-jail-181672

BSF, BGB to undertake first joint training exercise in Sunderbans

• SHIV SAHAY SINGH
• December 2, 2015
• “Aimed at confidence building and better coordination, helping in maintaining the sanctity of the international borders”

The Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will undertake joint exercise on border management along the India-Bangladesh border later this month.

The first of its kind joint exercise between the border guarding forces of the two countries is likely to be held in Sunderbans.

Senior BSF officials told The Hindu that the exercise is aimed at confidence building and better coordination between the BSF and BGB to help in maintaining the sanctity of the international borders.

The joint exercise will add another chapter in the collaboration between the two forces, which had started a joint retreat ceremony along the Petrapole-Benapole border in south Bengal since November 2013.

The two forces, which guard 4,096 km border between the two countries, follow a Co-ordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) which aims to prevent cross border criminal activities, irregular movement, and incidents of violence along the border.

A broad agreement on having the joint exercise between the two para-military forces was arrived at the 41st Joint Border Coordination Conference between Director Generals of BSF and BGB held at New Delhi in August this year.

Meanwhile, the decision to hold the exercise in Sunderbans is crucial as the riverine terrain poses a challenge for patrolling the borders.

There are three floating border outposts deployed by the BSF in the Sunderbans, to maintain a vigil in the channel of rivers Kalindi, Ichhamati, Raimangal and Hariabhanga. According to senior BSF officials, six more floating BOPs is likely to be made available to the BSF soon.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/bsf-bgb-to-undertake-first-joint-training-exercise-in-sunderbans/article7938484.ece