The “over-enthusiastic” role of the Border Security Force’s Jammu Frontier inspector general was at the centre of a command fiasco that caused Pakistani troops opposite Sundarbani sector to open fire, killing one soldier and grievously injuring nine others on May 10, inquiries by Northeast News at multiple levels reveal.
BSF IG Shashank Anand, an IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, who took charge of the Jammu Frontier in February 2025, is said to have ordered his troops to open fire at Pakistani posts across a 200-km-long stretch of the international border, that covers an area stretching from Mandi Mandir in Kathua to Samba and Jammu, on May 10 morning.
At least two senior level BSF sources confirmed to Northeast News that as a consequence of Anand’s order, Pakistani soldiers across the international border “retaliated” with heavy fire, killing one BSF assistant commandant and grievously injuring nine soldiers.
“The order to open fire prima facie unprovoked,” sources said, adding that the injured BSF troopers were evacuated to a hospital operated by the paramilitary force in Jammu.
Meanwhile, sources said that two Army soldiers were said to have been killed in a stealth action by a Pakistani battalion action team (BAT) near Nagrota station in Jammu.
The sources said that on May 9, after seven alleged terrorists were killed in a gunfight with Indian security forces in Samba, Anand ordered a deputy inspector general to video- and photograph the outcome of the counter-terrorism operation.
The IG’s instructions, sources said, were to make video clips and photographs of the dead terrorists, which would then be shared with the BSF director-general and senior bureaucrats at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
However, the DIG is said to have shown disinclination to Anand’s orders.
The BSF’s Jammu Frontier has four sectors, one of which is Sundarbani where the Line of Control begins.
An IPS officer of the 2006 batch, Anand had previously served as a DIG in Gurdaspur but was based in the force’s Delhi headquarters when he was transferred to take charge as IG, Jammu, in February this year.
Home Ministry sources said that the Pakistani military establishment flew out at least 400 drones along some of India’s border districts in Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan between May 9 and 10.
At least 40 drones were destroyed by Indian air defence systems in Barmer (in Rajasthan) in the course of the two days.
However, Pakistani tanks remain stationed at distances ranging from 40-60 kms opposite Munabao and Gadra on the Indian side in Barmer.
“Both HUMINT and TECHINT indicate the continued presence of the tanks in Sindh as well as in areas within Pakistan opposite Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan (in Jaisalmer),” BSF sources said.
