Infiltration attempts, cattle smuggling, drug smuggling, human trafficking, counterfeit currency market, along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh border has seen a sharp drop in the wake of COVID-19, heads of Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo-Tibet Border Force said on Thursday.
Director General of BSF Surjeet Singh Deswal said that the priority during the lockdown period has been to stop the carriers of the virus from crossing the border while maintaining a tight vigil on other activities. He added that a high level of alertness is being maintained at the borders which have been completely sealed with no movement of any kind.
Mr. Deswal also said that mischievous acts along the border and Line-of-Control have been responded by the Indian side with double impact.
BSF data for the period from January 1 to March 24 shows that over 20000 cattle were smuggled to Bangladesh. Post lockdown, the number has reduced to 300. During the same period, 97 kg of heroin was seized along the border in Punjab while only 17 kg was seized from March 25 to April 12.
BSF guards the 2289 kms border with Pakistan and 4092 kms border with Bangladesh.
However, ceasefire violations and shelling along the LoC continue to keep happening. 1400 ceasefire violations have been reported just this year. A Pakistan soldier was killed in a retaliatory response on April 29. On Friday, an Indian national was killed due to an unprovoked firing from the Pakistan side. India has registered a protest with Pakistan on the same.