Centre removes BSF chief after a spate of terror attacks in Jammu

The Centre on Friday (August 2) removed BSF Director General (DG) Nitin Agrawal and his deputy Special DG (West) YB Khurania, sending them back to their respective state cadres with immediate effect, according to a government order.

The repatriation orders for the two Indian Police Service (IPS) officers come in the backdrop of a spate of terror incidents in the Jammu region, along the India-Pakistan border.

At least 22 people, including 11 security personnel and a village defence guard (VDG) member, have been killed this year in such incidents in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua, and Doda districts. Five terrorists were also killed in two encounters in Kathua and Doda districts last month.

The BSF, which is entrusted to guard this front, has denied any instances of infiltration.

Separate orders issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) conveyed they were being "prematurely" repatriated with "immediate effect." Agrawal is a 1989-batch Kerala cadre IPS officer, while Khurania belongs to the 1990-batch of the Odisha cadre.

‘Strong message to the forces’

A senior officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the reasons for them being relieved of their posts seems to be the lack of command and control within the force and a lack of coordination with sister agencies. He also said that premature repatriation to their state cadre of two very senior officers is a strong message from the government to the forces to improve their performance.

Khurania is expected to be made the head of the police force or the director general of police (DGP) in Odisha where the new BJP government has just taken charge.

Agrawal had taken charge as the Border Security Force chief in June last year and he is scheduled to retire in July, 2026.

Khurania, as the special DG (West), was heading the formation of the force along the Pakistan border that runs for about 2,289 kms along Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat in India's western flank.

Interspersed with dense forests and mountainous terrain, the Jammu region accounts for 485 kms of this border.

The about 2.65-lakh personnel-strong BSF guards Indian borders with Pakistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east.

In a separate order, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet also appointed 1989-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer Amrit Mohan Prasad as an SDG in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

(With agency inputs)