A man in a speeding SUV rammed through a customs gate and three security barriers at the Wagah-Attari border crossing with Pakistan early Monday (3.45 am).  He drove through the barriers at about 120 kmph to 140 kmph.

The man identified as Surinder Singh, a 45-year-old Canadian national, was apprehended by Border Security Force personnel only after his Scorpio sports utility vehicle slammed into the gate on the Pakistani side and stalled in the heavily guarded zone.

The SUV slammed through the customs gate on the outer periphery of the heavily guarded border crossing, then two barricades placed at intervals of 100 metres before the Swarn Jayanti Dwar, and then the gate on the Indian side of the “zero line” located 70 metres ahead.

The SUV was confiscated by Pakistani security personnel as it had entered Pakistani territory. It was later returned at the request of the BSF.

Singh was reportedly undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Singh reportedly told investigators he wanted to pay obeisance at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the birthplace of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak, but did not want to wait for the visa and other formalities.

Pak theory
Meanwhile, the reaction of the Pakistani establishment borders on hilarious and bizarre lines.

Pak media quoted their security agencies saying that the Indian security apparatus apparently wanted to check Pakistan’s preparedness and response to sudden threats at the border.

The Punjab Rangers reportedly have written a letter to the Border Security Forces (BSF) seeking an inquiry into yesterday’s breach of security at Wagah.

This could be a prelude to a bigger operation, involving border breach, inside Pakistani territory by the Indians, the Pakistani security sources said, asserting that the Indian authorities “are telling a cock and bull story” about the incident.

“The security protocol to check the vehicles is almost the same on both sides of the border. Both sides have check points at least two miles ahead of the zero-line. No vehicle can pass without proper check and clearance. There are shoot-to-kill orders for any forcible entry of a person or vehicle,” they explained.

“Why the Indian border security forces did not shot at the speeding vehicle, which they saw would not stop and could create an international incident,” they questioned.

This could also be a plot to create a controversy by using this Non-Resident Indian man and putting the blame on Pakistan at the time of Pakistan army chief’s visit to the US that did not went the way they wanted, the security officials said, adding “We are looking into all the possibilities.”

The Pakistani security services have some indications about the strong possibilities of staged incidents by the new Indian intelligence arrangement being handled by three ex-RAW heads, who are part of the Modi government, they added.

They believe that Indian forces’ unprovoked shelling over past few months in the areas of district Sialkot was actually to assess the depth, response and sustaining capacity of our forces as part of a plan to launch a small scale incursion.