The three militants killed in Samba in Jammu might have crawled through an 80-metre-long tunnel under farmland to cross the International Border (IB), BSF Director General KK Sharma said.

Sharma, while addressing mediapersons on the eve of the BSF’s 51st Raising Day, said they had “strong inputs” to suggest infiltration bids by terrorists from across the IB following Army’s surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control, and hence it was “in a position” to detect and neutralise the heavily armed terrorists.

“After the operation got over at the Chamliyal Border out Post, we checked the fencing and there was no breach. This morning, we detected a small tunnel. We had deployed “depth nakas” across the fence and hence could detect and neutralise the three militants. The tunnel was found in a field where farming is done and has soft soil. “The tunnel is 75-80 metres from the border and 35-40 metres from the fence,” he said.

The DG said the border guarding force would take up the matter with its counterparts — Pakistan Rangers — but added due to increased hostilities, the other side was not “getting in touch” for quite some time now.

BSF officials said there was “ample proof” to suggest the militants crawled through the tunnel to reach this side of the border. Sharma said the Nagrota attack on an Army camp was “separate” and it was part of the investigation to ascertain any link with the Samba infiltration bid.

He said since increased hostilities between the two sides, especially after the surgical strikes, the BSF had killed 15 Pakistan Rangers and 10 militants while it lost five troops. He said picking up movements along the IB was difficult through naked eye during night.