Tharad: Tension gripped the India-Pakistan border area near Samli Bet in Vav taluka when locals reported seeing around ten unidentified men with bags slung over their shoulders moving suspiciously through the desert terrain on the second day of Diwali.

As news of the sighting spread rapidly on social media, the Vav-Tharad district police and the Border Security Force (BSF) immediately launched a large-scale search operation. The area was cordoned off, and joint teams of police officers, BSF personnel, and local villagers combed Samli Bet, Mula Bet, and nearby desert stretches. Drone surveillance was also deployed to track any movement.

However, despite extensive searches, no suspects were initially found. Panic and speculation grew among villagers, especially given the proximity to the international border and a past incident in which a Pakistani national had been caught from the same region six years ago.

Following detailed questioning of witnesses, the authorities finally identified the men — they were residents of Nawagam village in Santalpur taluka of Patan district. According to police sources, the group had come to the area to dig up roots of desert trees used in Ayurvedic medicines. The revelation came as a relief to the security forces, who had treated the case as a potential border intrusion.

Once the misunderstanding was cleared, officials lauded the vigilance of local residents for promptly alerting authorities. Recognizing their alertness, the BSF’s 137th Battalion Second-in-Command, V. J. S. Salaria, honored villagers Bhanabhai Rajput and Dineshbhai Thakor of Asara village, who had first informed the police about the suspicious movement. Vav Police Inspector A. R. Khatri and several villagers were present during the felicitation ceremony. DeshGujarat