Pak Troops Will Pay Heavy Price If They Target Us: Border Security Force

Jammu: If Pakistani troops target any Border Security Force or BSF soldier, they will have to pay a heavy price for that, a top officer of the Indian border guarding force warned today, two days after a claim that 7 Pakistani Rangers had been killed after they shot a BSF constable.

BSF Additional Director General Arun Kumar made these remarks in Jammu after laying wreath on the body of BSF soldier Gurnam Singh who was injured in sniper firing by Pakistani Rangers on Kathua border of Jammu on Friday and died last night.

"If they try to do anything, they will be given a befitting reply. We are fully prepared for that," he said.

Mr Kumar said the infiltration attempt, which was foiled by Gurnam and his other colleagues, had the support of the Pakistan Rangers.

"Absolutely that is on record and we have seen though our surveillance equipment as how they (Pakistan rangers) have given protection fire to get the people infiltrated into our border and how our men repulsed that," he said.

To a question on the BSF claim of having gunned down 7 Pakistani Rangers and a terrorist in retaliatory fire, the ADG said, "See, as far as the number of people killed (is concerned) there we cannot be fully sure. But as we have a close border and we have equipment with which we can see on the other side, we have seen several people being hit and falling."

In the wake of reports of a border build-up by Pakistani troops across the International Border, Mr Kumar said BSF has the information and it is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality.

"I think we are having the information, we are ready for any eventuality and if they are building up we are ready for it," he said.