The Border Security Force conducts a regular study of any change in the population along India’s border, BSF Director-General Rajni Kant Mishra said on Friday.
Asked at the annual BSF press conference whether there was any increase in the Muslim population along the border at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, he said: “Yes, we have conducted the study.” Later, he clarified that the study was not done on religious lines and the BSF reported any kind of “geographical, sociological and demographic changes”.
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Mr. Mishra said: “We observe and report everything, from transport to irrigation system; one part is population. This is routine reporting with no specific purpose. We have not expressed any concern, just stating the figures. This happens all along the border.” The BSF guards 6,386.36 km of the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
He said the Kartarpur corridor along the Punjab border would not be difficult to maintain. “We already manage the Attar-Wagah border checkpost; it is operating for many years. We are working on what responsibility will be given to us.”
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Mr. Mishra said that in the past one year, the BSF dealt with numerous incidents of unprovoked firing and sniping from across the border, and such misadventures by Pakistan’s forces were suitably answered. “The BSF responded in a targeted and deliberate manner so that the Pakistan Rangers were pinned down and confined to their posts. We are constructing in-house bunkers to avoid sniping — to watch and respond,” he said.
This year, the BSF intercepted 54 Rohingya as they tried to enter the country from Bangladesh and 176 Rohingya were intercepted when they were on their way to Bangladesh, he said.
Mr. Mishra said 49 BSF jawans were injured after attacked with “sticks and sharp-edged weapons” by cattle smugglers along the Bangladesh border and 58,000 heads of cattle were intercepted. Fake currency notes with a face value of ₹33 lakh were recovered along the Bangladesh border.