The 65th Battalion of Border Security Force today gunned down a Pakistani drug smuggler, who was trying to smuggle heroin into India by throwing packets of the contraband across the fencing.

He was killed in the exchange of fire between the BSF and the Pakistani drug smugglers at the Muhawa border outpost in the wee hours today. One of his accomplices was injured but managed to escape, while another, identified as Qazam-ud-din, was arrested later in the morning, when the BSF searched the area. He was handed over to the police.

The slain person is yet to be identified. Eight kilograms of heroin, a spring shotgun, one .12-bore gun, eight rounds were recovered and four packets of heroin were recovered from them. Four more packets were found later.

Qazam-ud-din said he had been residing in Karachi for the past 11 years. He had Pakistani currency of Rs 120, said BSF IG Himmat Singh.

Singh said the BSF jawans patrolling the area witnessed some suspicious activity on both sides of the border on late Tuesday night. “When Pak drug smugglers were spotted throwing packets of heroin across the fencing, the jawans challenged them, following which they started firing. The BSF killed one of them and injured another in retaliatory fire,” he said. The operation lasted for about half an hour.

The IG said an infiltration bid could not be ruled out. BSF DIG Mohammed Acqueel said it was yet to be known why Qazam-ud-din did not abscond and questioning was on.

Security along the border has been enhanced and protest lodged with Pakistan in this regard.

Three held with heroin, opium