Borders fully secure; will not allow terrorists to disturb assembly polls in J&K: BSF

Bhaderwah/Jammu, Sep 10 (PTI) Counter-infiltration measures have been put in place along the borders to ensure that terrorists don’t infiltrate and disturb the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, a top BSF officer said on Tuesday.

Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu frontier, D K Boora was speaking to reporters in Bhaderwah area of Doda district which along with six other districts covering a total of 24 assembly segments in south Kashmir and Chenab valley region of Jammu is going to polls in the first phase on September 18.

“The borders are completely secure as the BSF in coordination with sister agencies, including police, have taken all necessary counter-infiltration measures. I want to assure everyone that no such activity (infiltration of terrorists from across the border) will be allowed during the election process,” the BSF officer said.

He said the BSF is capable of dealing with any situation and will play its role in ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections.

“The BSF is an able force and you will find our troops deployed more in difficult terrain as they are capable of dealing with any type of situation and do their job bravely. The BSF is deployed here (in Chenab valley) for safe conduct of the elections,” Boora said.

Referring to recent terror incidents in Doda and Kishtwar districts, the BSF officer said the commanders on the ground are aware of some incidents and are conducting their activities in a tactical way to sanitise the whole area, and “I am hopeful that no untoward incident will happen during elections”.

Earlier, the BSF IG reviewed election security at a meeting with 20 commanding officers of the force whose units are deployed across all the three districts, informing that traces of militancy were found in this area in the recent past.

“They (terrorists) are not in large numbers but since the area has vast forest cover, they are getting an opportunity to survive,” he said, asking his men to be alert and foil any nefarious design of the terrorists.