BSF Chief, His Deputy's Tenure Cut Short; Sent Back To Parent Cadre 'With Immediate Effect'

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) removed the Border Security Force (BSF) Director General (DG) Nitin Agrawal and his deputy Special DG (West) Y B Khurania, sending them back to their respective state cadres with immediate effect, a government order issued on Friday said.

DG BSF Nitin Agarwal has been repatriated two years before his tenure was to end. “The appointments committee of cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for premature repatriation of Nitin Agarwal, IPS KL (89), DG, BSF to his parent cadre with immediate effect,” the order said.

1989-batch Kerala cadre officer, Agrawal, and Khurania from the 1990-batch of the Odisha cadre have been “prematurely” repatriated with “immediate effect,” according to separate orders issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). Khurania is likely to be the new DGP of Odisha Police.

While no reason for the sudden decision was mentioned in the official order, sources said the recent spate of infiltration in Jammu could be a reason for the drastic decision.

“It is suspected that terrorists were managing to infiltrate from the international border which is guarded by the BSF,’ an officer from Jammu and Kashmir told CNN News18.

At least one terrorist apprehended from Kathua told the police, as per sources, that he infiltrated along the Unjh Daria, which is along the international borders guarded by the BSF forces in Punjab. Indian army also suspected that infiltration was happening from the Punjab and Jammu international border. The terrorists were then allegedly using the highway to reach forested areas of Kathua, Dodda, Rajouri and Poonch.

Y B Khurania was special DG in charge of the BSF Western command. Jammu and Punjab both fall within the purview of the western command.

The decision of ACC would see a complete overhaul of BSF leadership for Jammu.

Agrawal had taken charge as the Border Security Force chief in June last year, while Khurania, as the special DG (West), was heading the formation of the force along the Pakistan border.