BSF arrests 4 peddlers along IB

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 14

The Border Security Force has apprehended four alleged Indian drug peddlers after a shootout in which a fifth suspect was injured. The incident occurred near the Fatehpur border outpost along the International Border last night.

Holding recce to smuggle drugs

• Sources said the suspects were lured by notorious drug peddler Dev who had given them contact number of Pak smugglers to retrieve drug consignments
• The suspects were conducting recce in the area to identify spot for smuggling drugs. However, BSF jawans noticed their movement and nabbed them

Those arrested have been identified as Vikramjeet Singh, Vijay Singh and Gopi, all residents of Kakkar village, and Navjot Singh of Dug Dogar village. Their fifth accomplice, Sarabjit Singh of Kakkar village, was injured after a BSF trooper opened fired in self-defence.

According to BSF officials, Sarabjit attacked the team with a sickle on being surrounded by the personnel.

The BSF authorities said the troops observed suspicious movement on both sides of the barbed fencing, following which they challenged the suspects. However, they tried to flee the scene.

They were surrounded and nabbed by the BSF men, who recovered a mobile phone from their possession. The injured was taken to a hospital, while the four others were handed over to the Amritsar rural police for further action.

The BSF had launched a search operation near the Pakistan border and found footmarks of intruders in the area.

BSF sources said the suspects were lured by notorious drug peddler Dev, active in the Lopoke area. He had given them the mobile number of his Pakistan accomplices to retrieve the drug consignments. The suspects had come for recce in the area to identify the spot for smuggling drugs. However, the BSF jawans noticed their movement and surrounded them.

“The mobile phone confiscated from them revealed certain contacts of Pakistan smugglers,” said the sources.

Attari DSP Gurpartap Sahota said the BSF had handed over the four suspects and a case was being registered in this regard. Further investigations were under way, he added.