Faridkot (The Stellar News): It is to bring to notice to all media houses that the recent news reports in the media—newspapers and TV Channels—that BSF is not cooperating with Faridkot police are factually incorrect and misleading.
Such reports are motivated and are not based on facts. The crux of the issue here is that BSF allegedly did not support the Faridkot police in the recovery of contraband from a place lying across the border fence near the international border in the Abohar sector on 13 April 2022.
But we would like to inform that BSF is a professional organization defending the borders of the country and performing its duty with utmost sincerity. BSF works with state police and other security agencies on a regular basis to protect the nation’s interests.
As regards, BSF not cooperating with the Faridkot police, we would bring to your notice we are working with different agencies of the country every day and foiling the plan of the anti-national elements. For example, BSF Punjab Frontier conducted a joint search with Special Task Force (STF) Amritsar of Punjab Police on 13th April 2022 and recovered suspected contraband items. Similarly, BSF did a joint operation with STF Ludhiana on 10 March 2022 in Abohar Sector. Such operations are conducted whenever an agency comes to BSF with input.
In fact, the input which Faridkot police had on 13 April 2022, other agencies also possessed that, and the area beyond the border fence was already thoroughly searched that day.
Some media reports/telecasts are emphasizing the extension of the BSF’s jurisdiction from 15 KM to 50 KM, and this is being given as a reason for the lack of cooperation. But if BSF allegedly did not cooperate with Faridkot police in the recovery of a contraband from a place across the border fence near the international border, it is not clear how the extension of BSF’s jurisdiction is connected with the issue.
One newspaper report says that BSF preferred to share information related to the movement of smugglers with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). While this is an incorrect assumption, still how sharing inputs with the NCB is illegal is also not clear.
One report in the media says that due to non-cooperation of BSF, the accused persons managed to escape. If BSF allegedly did not cooperate with Faridkot police to recover contraband from an area across the border fence, how accused persons escaped from the custody of Faridkot police or otherwise is beyond comprehension.
It is reiterated that BSF works as a team with all security agencies for protecting the borders of India. It is requested that media houses should publish verified facts. Incorrect reporting will mislead the citizen and lower the morale of the force guarding the borders of the country.
If any information or clarification is required, the media house/reporter may contact the Office of Inspector General or PRO BSF Punjab Frontier, Jalandhar before publishing stories so that the correct picture of the sensitive issue like Border Management comes to the audience. We would be happy to provide information available with us.
