Surgical Strike Day: Waiting for right time to avenge soldier’s killing: BSF DG KK Sharma

On the eve of the second anniversary of the Surgical Strike Day, outgoing Border Security Force (BSF) Director General (DG) KK Sharma on Friday said that the Border Security Force (BSF) was waiting for “an appropriate time” to retaliate against the brutal killing of its Head Constable Narender Singh along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sharma said some counter-action has already been taken along the LoC. “We have taken sufficient action along the LoC to avenge the death of our soldier. We have reserved our right of retaliation and time. We have given tough and befitting replies, causing manifold damage. And we will do it again,” he said.

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Speaking at a press conference at BSF headquarters, Sharma, who will superannuate on Sunday, said that Singh was killed by the Border Action Team of Pakistan.

Elaborating on the killing of the BSF jawan, the DG said Narender Singh was shot three times on the chest and dragged to the other side of the fence. His feet were tied and the throat slit. But the body, he said, was not mutilated and the cause of death was due to bullet injuries.

“The gun and ammunition of the jawan, who went ahead of the fence in Jammu’s Ramgarh sector along with seven other personnel, were taken away. This incident is a first of its kind because generally, on the International Border, you don’t have Border Action Team (BAT) action. This was BAT action. This is an unfortunate incident.”

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He said the day the BAT incident took place, the BSF noticed that the other side had emptied. “They were nowhere in sight. They also got their villages vacated, thinking we will hit them. So, even if we had retaliated, it would not have been of any use at that time,” he said, adding “we have reserved the right”.

“The BSF has given a tough and befitting reply and caused much more damage on the other side in the past. We will do the same again,” the DG said.

Sources told The Times of India that the BSF confirmed that Pakistan suffered significant casualties in the heavy retaliatory shelling.