After remaining in a state of denial over the news report published in The Pioneer about the detection of a tunnel on Indian side of the line of Control in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor in Jammu, the Army on Saturday confirmed the report claiming that the tunnel was detected by the jawans during routine patrolling in the same sector on August 22.
In its report, The Pioneer had reported that a 2.5 metre wide and about 7-8 feet deep tunnel was detected by the jawans of the Indian Army across Munnawar Tawi area near Chakla post in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor.
When contacted on Friday, the Indian Army officers based in Nagrota based headquarters of 16 corps had feigned ignorance about it. Twenty-four hours later, the PRO of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Saturday issued a written statement confirming the news report.
MoD PRO in Jammu said, “On August 22, 2104, Army personnel deployed in Pallanwala Sector of Jammu district during routine patrolling found a tunnel approximately 50 metres on Indian side of the line of Control. The dimension of the tunnel is approx two and a half feet wide and three and a half feet high and is leading towards PoK”.
According to the Defence PRO, it appears to be an incomplete tunnel as no exit has been found on the Indian side. “Troops are carrying out thorough search of the area to ascertain further details which is taking time due to existing minefield,” he added.
Pakistani Army was engaging Indian Army in the same sector by resorting to ‘unprovoked’ firing in the area. An Indian jawan Naik Mongchon B of 3Naga was also ambushed by a suspected BAT team consisting of militant outfits and jawans of Pak Army in the same sector on July 22, 2014.