J&K security forces search Jammu jail, conduct anti-tunnelling ops in Samba
Synopsis
On 24 October, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir ran coordinated drills across four sites — a district jail, a border outpost in Samba, Jammu Railway Station, and a CRPF camp in Banihal — probing for contraband, cross-border tunnels, and emergency response gaps. All sites came up clean, but the scale of the simultaneous exercise signals a significant step-up in regional vigilance.
Key Takeaways
A joint search at District Jail Amphalla , Jammu, involving jail staff, CRPF , and police found no suspicious material on 24 October 2026 .
The BSF conducted an anti-tunnelling exercise at Border Outpost Lalfamkima , Ramgarh sector, Samba district — no tunnels or contraband detected.
Mock drills at Jammu Railway Station involved the RPF , a bomb disposal squad , CID Special Branch , and CID Counter Intelligence .
A joint emergency drill at a CRPF camp in Banihal , Ramban district, ran from 11 am to 12:20 pm , involving Rashtriya Rifles , SDRF , police, and medical staff.
Operations were coordinated by J&K Police , BSF , and CRPF across the Jammu division .
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir conducted a sweeping multi-district security exercise on Saturday, 24 October 2026, carrying out a search operation at District Jail Amphalla in Jammu, an anti-tunnelling exercise near the International Border (IB) in Samba district, and emergency mock drills at a railway station and a CRPF camp — as part of heightened vigilance across the region.
Jail Search at District Jail Amphalla
A joint search operation was launched at District Jail Amphalla in Jammu at approximately 10 am, involving jail staff, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The operation, which lasted over one hour, found no suspicious or objectionable material inside the premises, officials said. The exercise was aimed at assessing institutional readiness and reinforcing security protocols within correctional facilities.
Anti-Tunnelling Exercise in Samba's Ramgarh Sector
In Samba district, the Border Security Force (BSF) carried out an anti-tunnelling exercise in the forward area along the International Border at Border Outpost Lalfamkima in the Ramgarh sector. According to officials, the drill was designed to detect any possible cross-border tunnels that could be used for infiltration or for smuggling arms, ammunition, and contraband into Indian territory. No such structure was detected during the exercise, officials confirmed. This comes amid persistent concerns about underground infiltration routes along the Jammu frontier, a pattern security agencies have flagged repeatedly over recent years.
Mock Drills at Jammu Railway Station and Banihal CRPF Camp
Simultaneous mock drills were held at Jammu Railway Station and a CRPF camp in the Banihal area of Ramban district, targeting inter-agency coordination and operational preparedness for emergencies. The railway station drill involved the Railway Protection Force (RPF), fire and emergency services, medical staff, and a bomb disposal squad (BDS). Teams from CID Special Branch and CID Counter Intelligence were also present, officials said.
The CRPF camp drill commenced at 11 am and concluded at 12:20 pm. It brought together troops of Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF personnel, the RPF, Government Railway Police (GRP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, fire and emergency services, and the block medical officer of Banihal.
Broader Security Picture
Security forces across the Jammu division have initiated a comprehensive, multi-district operation to enhance vigilance, evaluate regional readiness, and proactively secure critical installations, officials noted. The joint operations are being conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the BSF, and the CRPF. Notably, the coordinated nature of Saturday's exercises — spanning a jail, a border post, a major railway hub, and a paramilitary camp — signals a broad-spectrum security assessment rather than a response to a specific incident. All agencies reported clean outcomes, with no suspicious material or structures detected at any site.
The exercises reflect an ongoing pattern of periodic readiness evaluations in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in border districts that remain sensitive to cross-border threats. Security planners are expected to review findings from Saturday's operations before scheduling the next round of drills.
Point of View
Multi-site nature of Saturday's exercises is the detail that deserves attention. Running a jail search, a border anti-tunnelling op, a railway station drill, and a paramilitary camp exercise on the same day is not routine maintenance — it is a coordinated readiness audit, the kind typically ordered when threat assessments have been revised upward. The clean outcomes are reassuring, but they do not answer the question of what prompted this particular day's scale of activity. Jammu's border districts have historically been vulnerable to tunnel-based infiltration and arms smuggling, and periodic exercises alone cannot substitute for persistent surveillance infrastructure. Whether Saturday's sweep is a one-off or the opening of a sustained security cycle will become clear in the weeks ahead.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the outcome of the Jammu jail search on 24 October 2026?
A joint search at District Jail Amphalla in Jammu, conducted by jail staff, CRPF, and police around 10 am, found no suspicious or objectionable material. The operation lasted over one hour.
What is an anti-tunnelling exercise and why was it held in Samba?
An anti-tunnelling exercise is a security drill designed to detect hidden cross-border tunnels that could be used for infiltration or smuggling of arms and contraband. The BSF conducted one at Border Outpost Lalfamkima in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district on 24 October; no tunnels or structures were found.
Which agencies participated in the mock drills at Jammu Railway Station?
The Railway Protection Force (RPF), fire and emergency services, medical staff, a bomb disposal squad (BDS), and teams from CID Special Branch and CID Counter Intelligence all took part in the drill at Jammu Railway Station.
What happened at the CRPF camp drill in Banihal?
A joint security and emergency response mock drill at a CRPF camp in Banihal, Ramban district, ran from 11 am to 12:20 pm on 24 October. It involved Rashtriya Rifles troops, CRPF personnel, RPF, GRP, SDRF, police, fire and emergency services, and the block medical officer of Banihal.
Why are security forces conducting these operations in Jammu and Kashmir?
Officials said the exercises were aimed at assessing readiness, strengthening inter-agency coordination, and proactively securing critical installations as part of heightened security vigil in the Jammu division. The joint operations are being run by J&K Police, BSF, and CRPF across multiple districts.
