BSF jawan’s throat slit by Pak Rangers at border in Samba

Tribune News Service

Jammu/New Delhi, Sept 19

The Border Action Team (BAT) of Pakistan Rangers slit the throat of a BSF jawan in a first-of-its-kind act of brutality against Indian forces along the International Border yesterday.

Head Constable Narender Singh’s body was found around 5.20 pm near the zero line in Ramgarh sector of Samba along the IB, hours after he was abducted. He was part of a Border Security Force team on domination patrol ahead of the fence when it was ambushed by BAT members.

Following the “unprecedented” incident, the security forces have issued a “high alert” across the 

192-km IB manned by the BSF and 740-km LoC secured by the Army.

Sources said the jawan’s “throat was slit and his eye gouged out” by the Rangers. The body bore two bullet injuries. “His body had multiple knife wounds and bullet injures and his weapon is missing,” said a source. The BSF remained tight-lipped.

Sources said the body could be retrieved only after over six hours as the Pakistan side “did not respond” to the calls to maintain the sanctity of the frontier and ensure that the BSF search parties were not fired upon.

The brutal incident is reminiscent of similar attacks in the past along the LoC.

Narender Singh (50) belonged to 176 Battalion. He hailed from Kala village of Sonepat, Haryana, and is survived by wife Santosh Devi (45) and sons Mohit and Ankit.

The killing came a day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated two smart fencing pilot projects under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System with an aim to secure borders. He had termed it a historic moment for the country.

The incident occurred around 10.40 am yesterday when Pakistan Rangers opened fire on the BSF team ahead of the fence.

“BSF troops took position and retaliated but a jawan was hit by a bullet. Our side is undulating, marshy with thick sarkanda (elephant grass) growth. It made the immediate locating of the injured jawan difficult. The situation was brought under control by the BSF and his body was ultimately recovered late evening,” the BSF said last night.