By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Border Security Force is an elite Border Guarding Force of the Nation and is the world’s biggest Border guarding force too. BSF was raised on 1st December 1965 as an armed force of the union. Its primary aim is to assure the security and integrating of India’s borders, preventing cross border smuggling, spreading awareness among the border communities and to control various trans-border crimes.
However, India’s growing inner security dangered have ordered it with other duties such as counter insurgency (CI Ops), counter Naxalism (LWE), disaster management and other domestic peace keeping duties. Initially, it was raised with only 25 Battalions and exponentially grown to 193 Battalions including 4 NDRF Bns. BSF guards India’s approximately 6,400 kms long International Border with Pakistan & Bangladesh which passes through rivers, valleys, inaccessible deserts, Rann of Kutch and snow-clad mountains.
Earlier, security was provided by the State Armed Police Force on the Borders of India. On 09 April 1965, Indian Border posts were attacked by the Pakistan Army in the area of Kutch in Gujarat. Due to which the Government of India decided to establish a separate force specially armed and trained to guard the borders with Pakistan, with Shri K F Rustomji as its head. He formed the Border guarding force of India on 1st December 1965 with its motto “Jeevan Parayant Kartavya”.
The Naxalite movement in Odisha began in the 1960s as a peasant movement which later on turned violent. In the beginning of the century, the movement turned fierce and at many places Naxals were running parallel government.
In 2004 Police Armoury was looted in Koraput, in-charge of Motu Police Post was killed in broad day light in 2006, blasting of train engine in Darliput in 2007 and office of Station Master was burnt in 2008, attack on Nayagarh Police Training School in which 14 police personnel were martyred, in 2008, 38 commandos / police personnel of Greyhound were killed by the Naxalites. In 2009, 11 CISF Jawans were killed by Naxals in NALCO at Damanjodi. Due to the frequent occurrence of many such incidents, BSF was inducted with 05 Battalions in the state of Odisha in 2010.
The mandate of BSF in ANO theatre is:-
To assist the state Police in conduct of Anti Naxal Operations.
To create a Sense of Security amongst the local population.
To facilitate developmental activities.
Initially BSF was deployed in the two Southern Districts which were highly affected by Maoists i.e. Malkangiri and Koraput, subsequently deployed at Rayagada and Nabarangpur district also. Presently, BSF is deployed in districts of Malkangiri, Koraput and Kandhamal to curb the Naxal meneace in the state.
02 Sector Headquarters with 08 Bns are deployed under this frontier, with 04 Bns under each Sector, with HQ at Koraput and Malkangiri. Frontier Headquarter (Special Operations) Odisha geographically spans across the states of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala.
BSF is assisting the state Government for implementing developmental scheme as well as establishing basic amenities in inaccessible, remote and highly Naxal affected areas of districts Malkangiri, Koraput and Kandhamal i.e. Road and Bridge construction, Mining projects, hydroelectric power plants, Schools and communication Towers. Developmental works have got accelerated manifold after the deployment of Border Security Force in these districts. The details of some major developmental work is as follows:-
New School – 116
Hospital – 37
Anganwadi – 258
Panchayat Bhawan – 13
Community Hall – 38
Small Bridges and Culvert – 238
Road Construction work – 198
The significant achievement of the Border Security Force in the state of Orissa cannot be complete without mentioning the construction of Gurupriya Bridge. In July 2018, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Gurupriya Bridge and renamed the Cut Off area as “Swabhiman Anchal”. Due to the construction of this bridge, the 31 thousand population of 151 villages have been connected with the main land of the state. This project was conceptualised in 1982 and could only be implemented on ground in 2018 due to security provided by BSF.
Many Jawans and Officers of Border Security Force have made supreme sacrificed for the nation in fight against Naxals in Odisha state.
The achievements of the Border Security Force with the help of state Police in the districts of deployment are as follows: –
Total 65 dreaded Naxals were killed, out of which 01 Naxal was killed in 2023.
A total of 793 Naxals were apprehended up to the year- 2023.
A total of 632 hard core Naxals surrendered out of which 03 Naxals surrendered in the year 2023.
A total of 447 IEDs (live bombs) were recovered out of which 30 IEDs were recovered in 2023.
In the year 2014 and 2019, during the Orissa assembly elections and the Lok Sabha elections, the Border Security Force has succeeded in conducting peaceful polling in the vulnerable Naxal affected areas.
Provided necessary commodities to the poor and school children in remote villages of Koraput, Malkangiri and Kandhamal districts, provided necessary medical facilities to the villagers, provided employment training to unemployed youth under skill development programme.
Under tribal youth exchange programme Border Security Force is facilitating tribal boys and girls in providing exposure to culture and heritage of different parts of India.
Apart from this, during COVID pandemic, provided ration, medicines and daily use items to the needy families in Naxal affected villages and also helped stranded local labourers.
Since Dec’2022 to Nov’2023 following recoveries have been made by BSF specifically:-
IED – 30 nos
Explosive – 3.35 gms
Cordex – 65 mtrs
Walkie Talkie – 02 nos
SBML gun – 21 nos
SBML Barrel – 11 nos
Country made Pistol -01 no
.303 Rifle – 01 no
Country made RL- 01 no
51mm Mor Bomb- 02 bombs
Ammunitions – 52 rds
INSAS Mag – 05 nos
Grenade – 48 nos
Detonator – 134 nos
Gelatine sticks – 259 nos
Safety fuse – 70 mtrs
Electric wire – 40 mtrs
Monocular for road levelling- 01
