2 Pak intruders shot dead by BSF along Punjab border; guns recovered
New Delhi/Chandigarh (PTI): Two armed Pakistani intruders were shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) in two separate incidents along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab on Tuesday morning, officials said.
The first infiltration bid was detected in the Gurdaspur sector around 8 am and the troops subsequently recovered the body of a man along with a weapon there.
"At about 0830 hours, BSF troops of border post Channa in Gurdaspur sector observed suspected movement of an armed Pak intruder ahead of the fence.
"The suspected intruder was challenged and neutralised by the troops," a BSF spokesperson said.
The second killing took place near Dariya Mansoor village in Amritsar.
"Troops challenged the miscreant, but he did not stop and continued moving ahead. Sensing an imminent threat and to stop further misadventure, BSF troops fired upon the miscreant in self-defence, killing him on the spot.
"A gun was found near the body of the Pakistani miscreant and an extensive search of the area is in progress," the spokesperson said.
The intruder was found armed with a sophisticated modified 'Pump Action' shotgun, which can fire more than one shot.
These were the first incidents in 2023 where Pakistani intruders were killed at the 2,289 km-long border that runs along Jammu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab on India's western flank.
In 2022, the BSF killed two infiltrators and apprehended 23 Pakistanis along the 553-km-long India-Pakistan international border in Punjab.
The force also recovered 1 kg of suspected heroin from a drone it retrieved on Monday, which it had shot down in the Kassowal area of the Gurdaspur sector on December 31.
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Kharge rules out Chief Minister change in Karnataka 'for now'
Kalaburgai (Karnataka) (PTI): AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said there was no Chief Minister change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
The Congress chief's statement comes amid speculations within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in lines with a rumoured power-sharing agreement with CM Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly polls.
"You (media), he (Parameshwara) and people at the top say that it is better if I become (the chief minister). But, more than fate, as per my ideology and as per my service to the party so far, Sonia Gandhi takes decisions regarding me," he said in response to a question about Home Minister G Parameshwara's statement about Kharge becoming the CM.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "But, that question does not arise now. There is already a Chief Minister here. If Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and I, together, have to take any decision in the direction of a change, it will take some time. Let's wait and see."
Amid speculations about the leadership change in Karnataka, Parameshwara said on Wednesday that everyone in the ruling Congress party will welcome, if Kharge, a senior politician with a lot of experience, becomes the chief minister.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
To a question on JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy's statement that about 40 Congress MLAs having booked tickets to Delhi next month, amid the leadership tussle in the Congress, Kharge said, "I don't know, ask him for details."
