Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said that the present BSF strength in Punjab sector was inadequate and Punjab Government wants the force strengthened in the state in view of the terror attack on the Indian Air Force base near Pathankot.
Urging the Central Government to enhance deployment of adequate BSF personnel along 553 km long Punjab-Pakistan border to curb intrusion, Sukhbir Badal said that Punjab will fortify its second defence line equipped with ultra-modern security gadgets by deploying commando battalion at all vulnerable points near border in the state.
While interacting with mediapersons here after visiting injured civilian Rajesh Kumar Verma in the terrorist attack at Air Force base station, he strongly condemned the attack by suspected Pakistani terrorists and said that it appeared to be the handiwork of those forces who are against peace initiatives between India and Pakistan.
This was the second major terror attack in Punjab in just over five months.
On July 27, 2015, terrorists from Pakistan launched a terror attack on Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district, leaving seven people dead, including a police official.
The Deputy CM, who also holds Home Portfolio, pleaded the Union Government to install sophisticated scientific and intelligence gadgets at the earliest along the fence at international border so as to prevent the cross border infiltration of trained terrorists and smugglers.
Sukhbir said, “We are always on guard against terrorists and smugglers in border belt but more BSF personnel should be deployed for patrolling along barbed wire to control the intrusion”.
He also urged the Center to declare Punjab-Pak border as sensitive boundary.
To curb the infiltration bids at sensitive points, he announced that Punjab would deploy commando battalion at all vulnerable points near border equipped with ultra-modern security gadgets. Besides setting up a police lines, a SWOT team will also be stationed at Pathankot to deal with any eventuality, said he.
Sukhbir said the Punjab Police had earlier successfully foiled the ghastly attack on Dinanagar police station by Pakistan trained terrorists and is maintaining constant vigil in the state but infiltration bids through the rivulets at border must be foiled by the forces at the helm of security at international border with Punjab.
The Deputy CM also held a separate meeting with senior state police officers along with district administration and took stock of the present situation.
He said the state police is on high alert and the hard earned communal harmony and law and order situation would be maintained at all costs.
Sukhbir said that the state police chief has been asked to take all possible measures to ensure safety and security of public in border belt besides stepping up deployment in the area.
He also informed that the Punjab police had been extending full support to the Army, Air Force and other security agencies who were involved in the operation to neutralise the terrorists.