Inspector General Shashank Anand confirmed that the BSF suffered no losses and remains on high alert, with robust surveillance in place to counter potential infiltration attempts. Women personnel, including Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari, were lauded for their frontline bravery, and plans are underway to name posts after martyrs and the operation itself.
During Operation Sindoor, troopers of the Border Security Force (BSF) destroyed as many as 72 Pakistani posts, including the infamous "Looni" launching pad of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.
This action was taken in retaliation for the enemy's shelling along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) after May 7.
Interacting with media persons, Inspector General (BSF Jammu Frontier) Shashank Anand revealed that following the May 7 operation to dismantle terror infrastructure at several locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), BSF posts were targeted by the Pakistani Army.
"We were already prepared for such retaliation. Our troops responded by destroying several enemy posts, towers, and bunkers. Around 72 Pakistani posts and 47 forward positions were hit. In contrast, the BSF suffered no loss of assets or infrastructure," the IG said.
He further disclosed that on the intervening night of May 9 and 10, the BSF carried out a deliberate and well-coordinated strike on a Lashkar-e-Taiba launch pad in the Looni area of Pakistan, located just 3 kilometers from the LoC.
The BSF had credible intelligence inputs indicating the presence of 18–20 terrorists in the Looni area who were planning to infiltrate under the cover of cross-border firing.
It was on the basis of this intelligence that a dedicated BSF team executed a highly coordinated, two-phase operation aimed at inflicting maximum casualties.
"As a result of this preparedness, we inflicted heavy damage on several Pakistani positions during the cross-border exchange. We did not suffer any losses ourselves," Anand added.
BSF maintains high vigilance
IG Shashank Anand emphasized that the BSF has not let its guard down, as Pakistan cannot be trusted, and that Operation Sindoor is ongoing to foil the nefarious designs of the enemy.
He disclosed that the forces have intelligence suggesting that, after receiving a strong response, Pakistan may attempt further misdemeanours, including cross-border firing and infiltration attempts.
Asserting that the BSF is prepared to counter any such threats, the IG said, "We believe Pakistan cannot be trusted. Operation Sindoor is ongoing. The BSF is ready and vigilant along the International Border. We are deploying robust surveillance systems to ensure high vigilance."
Reiterating that Operation Sindoor continues, Anand stressed that the BSF remains on high alert along the International Border and will continue to maintain maximum vigilance to prevent any infiltration attempts.
"We cannot let our guard down. We are maintaining the highest possible vigilance along the border," Anand stated during a press conference on Operation Sindoor.
BSF women personnel played an important role in attacking the enemy
IG Shashank Anand also highlighted the exemplary courage shown by BSF women personnel, including Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari, who have been manning forward posts.
He said that "BSF women personnel fought at forward duty posts during Operation Sindoor. Our brave women personnel, Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari commanded a forward post, Constable Manjit Kaur, Constable Malkit Kaur, Constable Jyoti, Constable Sampa and Constable Swapna and others fought at forward posts against Pakistan during this operation.
"We lost BSF Sub-Inspector Mohammad Imtiaz, Constable Deepak Kumar, and Naik Sunil Kumar of the Indian Army in the drone attack and shelling on BSF posts from Pakistan. We are sending a proposal to name two of our posts after our lost personnel and to name one post as 'Sindoor'", he said.
