Indian Border Security Force Saturday gunned down five persons who allegedly entered into Indian territory from the Pakistani side at the international border in east Punjab. Officials claims that an AK-47 assault rifle, four Beretta pistols and nearly 10 kg of suspected heroin were recovered from the site in Ferozepur, the BSF said.
Sources said that all five persons were “neutralised” after a six-hour operation. BSF IG Mahipal Yadav said: “We registered movement near the International Border around 11.30 pm on Friday, and accordingly launched an operation. We kept that some people under surveillance all night and challenged them around 4 am when they crossed the border. Instead of surrendering, they fired at us. We had a cordon which did not allow them to escape. Around 5.30 am, we spotted them again and challenged them. They fired and we retaliated. Later, during a search of the area, we found five bodies, arms and contraband.”
BSF said its personnel recovered one AK 47 rifle, two AK magazines, 27 live AK rounds, four pistols (9 mm Beretta) with seven magazines and 109 live rounds, and nine packets, weighing 9.9 kg of contraband, suspected to be heroin. Pakistani currency totalling Rs 610 and two mobile phones have also been recovered.
BSF sources said these have been handed over to Punjab police for further investigation. “Forensic examination of the phones will likely reveal to who was the consignment to be delivered and who in Pakistan had the intruders been in touch with,” a BSF officer said.
