‘Never lost courage, not even in final moments': Bihar mourns BSF sub-inspector killed in Pakistan shelling
Imran Raza, his son, stood among the mourners. 'He had come home for Eid… And now, a war has taken him from us,' he said.
Imteyaz was killed on May 10 during cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the International Border in the R S Pura sector of Jammu.
'My father was a strong person… I am very proud of him… he never lost courage, not even in his final moments,' Imran said, his voice trembling.
'The last time I spoke to him was at 5:30 pm on the 10th,' he said. 'He told me, 'Pakistanis have attacked, my right leg is badly injured'.'
Imran told his father not to worry, and in desperation, booked a flight to Delhi, only to find that no flights are available to Jammu.
'I took a train instead… Till 3 pm, I was told his condition was stable, out of danger. But at 6 pm, the assistant commandant called to say that he is no more,' Imran said. 'I never got to speak to him one last time. That pain will always remain.'
'Today, a son has lost his father, a wife her husband… only those who go through this can truly understand the pain. Still, I am proud of all those who have sacrificed their lives for the country. I salute them,' he said.
Imteyaz's younger brother, Mohammad Mustafa, also an Armyman, said, 'He joined the Army in 1987 and was due to retire in 2029. There should be a hospital and a memorial in his name in our village.'
The BSF said that Imteyaz was injured 'while leading a BSF border out post, gallantly leading from the front'.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the BSF Frontier Headquarters in Jammu before the body was flown to Bihar. State ministers and opposition leaders gathered at the Patna airport to receive his body, which was laid to rest with state and military honours at Narayanpur village in Bihar's Saran district.
As the body arrived at the village, several villagers, some carrying the national flag, joined the procession and chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' rang out.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
No Rafale or F-35! Army Demands Rs 1.12 Lakh Cr Defence System, Gets Only Rs 36,000 Cr
New Delhi: After Operation Sindoor, India's defense upgrades are speeding ahead like a bullet train. With over Rs 3 lakh crore being pumped into military modernisation, the government is on a mission to acquire or indigenously develop fighter jets, submarines and advanced missile systems. One by one, big-ticket purchases are being cleared, and the pace is relentless. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Defence approved military procurements worth over Rs 1 lakh crore in one go. Among them, Rs 44,000 crore has been set aside for 12 Mine Counter Measure Vessels and Rs 36,000 crore has been sanctioned for six regiments of the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile system, better known as QRSAM. These six QRSAM regiments will be split evenly between the Indian Air Force and the Army. But here is the twist. This is only a fraction of what the armed forces actually asked for. The Army had demanded 11 regiments. What they got was only three. The Air Force's separate demand? Also unmet. If both services were to receive the full complement, 11 regiments each, the total cost would have soared to Rs 1.12 lakh crore. But the government stopped short. Enter the 'Baby S-400' Apart from being a missile defense system, QRSAM is being nicknamed the 'Baby S-400'. India already has three operational regiments of Russia's S-400 system and expects two more by next year. But defense planners know that S-400s and indigenous Akash systems alone cannot transform the country into a secure fortress. The threat matrix has changed. China is watching, and so is Pakistan. And they are not standing still. Operation Sindoor proved India's air defense muscle. But it also exposed gaps, ones that Pakistan tried to exploit through waves of drone incursions, many supplied by Turkey and China. Hundreds were launched. All were neutralised. But the lesson stuck – air defense needs to be multi-layered, relentless and everywhere. That is where the QRSAM fits in. Designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it is built to intercept fighters, drones and helicopters within a 30 km radius. Not as long-range as the S-400's 400 km or Akash's 100-200 km reach, but perfect for quick and short-range airspace protection in dense threat environments. More importantly, it's Indian-made, fast, precise and combat-ready. Not Enough for a Fortress At Rs 6,000 crore per regiment, scaling up to the Army's full demand alone would cost Rs 66,000 crore. Add the Air Force's likely mirror request and you are staring at a Rs 1.12 lakh crore bill. Expensive? Yes. But what is the price of making the skies over India completely off-limits to 5th-gen fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles or worse? With full deployment, India's air defense would shift from deterrence to denial. Nothing would be able to breach the perimeter. During Operation Sindoor, India's air defenses held. But in military planning, holding is never enough. The military is not asking for luxury, it is asking for survivability. Against future drone swarms, supersonic fighters or long-range missile salvos, six regiments are just a start. If the government greenlights the remaining 16 regiments, the Army and the Air Force both, it would send a message that India is preparing. And once QRSAM rings the nation's skies, even the birds will need clearance to fly.
The Print
3 hours ago
- The Print
BSF gets 5k body cameras, biometrics capturing devices for Bangladesh border
The two policy decisions to bolster BSF capabilities at this front have been taken in the wake of the stepped up security arrangements along the border following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024. Official sources in the security establishment told PTI that a select number of border outposts (BOPs) of the force along the 4,096 kms front are also being equipped with gadgets to capture biometrics like finger prints and iris (eyes) scan of illegal Bangladeshis for sharing this data to the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO). New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) More than 5,000 body-worn cameras are being provided to Border Security Force troops guarding the India-Bangladesh international border as part of a measure to record visuals and evidence of deporting illegal Bangladeshis apart from instances of criminals attacking the personnel on duty. The sources said the Union home ministry recently approved these two proposals of the BSF headquarters following a 'comprehensive review' of the security situation along the Bangladesh border. About 5,000 body-worn cameras are being sent in two batches to BSF troops guarding the India-Bangladesh international border. These cameras are night-vision enabled and can record about 12-14 hours of footage, the sources said. The cameras will be helpful in recording the facts and evidence when BSF troops deport illegal Bangladeshis or engage with miscreants to stop cross-border crimes like drugs, cattle and fake Indian currency notes (FICN) smuggling apart from human trafficking and infiltration, they said. The recordings will also act as evidence in cases where BSF troops are attacked by criminals from both the countries, the sources said. Bangladesh and its force Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been claiming at bilateral forums that their nationals are being killed by the Indian side using extraordinary force and in an unjustified manner while the BSF has always maintained it opens non-lethal or lethal fire as a last resort to save the life of the troopers, the sources said. These instances will be recorded now by these body-worn cameras and act as proof when required for an investigation, they said. The sources said some select and 'vulnerable' BSF BOPs from the point of view of cross-border infiltration are also being installed with biometrics data recording machines that will capture the fingerprints and eye scans of illegal Bangladeshis caught by the BSF on this front. This biometric data will be shared with the FRO to create an evidence-based database against infiltrators and illegal Bangladeshis trying to sneak into India, they said. The Union home ministry, post the Pahalgam terror attack, has asked all states to check and deport illegal Bangladeshis living in their jurisdictions. As per official data, the BSF, till July 15 this year, has apprehended 1,372 Bangladeshis infiltrating into India from this front while it caught or was handed over by various state police forces over 3,536 such men and women while crossing over from India to the other side. The recorded figures for last year were 2,425 (incoming) and 1,049 (outgoing). As many as 77 instances of attack on BSF personnel by miscreants from both India and Bangladesh have been recorded last year at the border while 35 such incidents have been reported till June this year on this front, according to the data. PTI NES KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
How much salary is paid by bankrupt Pakistan to Army Chief Asim Munir? The amount is SHOCKING! It is Rs…, is it more than Indian Army Chief's salary?
Asim Munir (File) Pakistan Army Chief Salary: Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, who elevated himself to the position of Field Marshal after falsely proclaiming 'victory' in the recent India-Pakistan conflict, is the de-facto ruler of the country, while the civilian government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is little more than a puppet regime, designed to be subservient to the Army. But how much does Field Marshal Asim Munir officially earn in monthly salary? Let us find out. What is the salary of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir? Its an open secret that the Pakistan economy is in complete ruin, yet its Army, especially the top brass live a lavish lifestyle comparable to the world's richest, while the masses struggle to find two square meals a day. In terms of salary, Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir receives a monthly salary of PKR 250,000, which is equivalent to about Rs. 75,000, a meagre amount compared to his Indian counterpart General Anil Chauhan, who earns a monthly salary of Rs 250,000, which equals to about 8.25 lakh in Pakistan Rupee (PKR). Thus, the Indian Army Chief earns three times more salary than the Pakistan Army Chief, showcasing the vast gulf in the economic strength of the two countries. Does Asim Munir get any additional facilities after Field Marshal elevation? While Asim Munir's salary remains the same, the post of Field Marshal is considered the highest in any army, and thus accompanied by a multitude of perks and facilities. The new title comes with top-of-the-line facilities including a posh government bungalow, additional security, cars, medical facilities, and lifelong pension. Notably, Army Chief is considered the most powerful figure in Pakistan, even ahead of the Prime Minister, and this was evident when US President Donald Trump recently hosted Asim Munir for a luncheon at the White House, a privilege usually reserved for Heads of State. Meanwhile, apart from the salary, the Pakistan Army chief enjoys certain other perks that accompany the top post, including free membership in elite clubs, a lavish private bungalow, additional security, government-funded transport, Additionally, the Pakistan Army owns several businesses as a corporation, including dairy and transport firms, which adds to the income of Army Chief General Asim Munir and other top brass of the Pakistan Army.
