PITHORAGARH: The Sashastra Seema Bal has pressed tracker dogs into service at the Indo-Nepal border to check attempts by anti-social elements to cross over illegally into the Indian territory through the Kali river due to its decreased water level, officials said on Friday. Residents of border villages have also been asked by the border guarding force to be on alert and inform SSB authorities immediately in case of an illegal entry from Nepal into Indian territory through the river route, they said.

"Besides taking the help of a squad of tracker dogs, villagers in the border areas have been told to inform SSB patrolling teams if they witness any illegal entry into Indian territory from Nepal," an officer of the 55th battalion of the SSB Santosh Lal said.

These steps were prompted by reported incidents of some crossing over the border through the river route using tire tubes as lifeguards, he said.

"We have now requested the villagers to inform the SSB picket nearby if any such incident comes to light, the SSB official said.

Intense combing operations were carried out by the force in the nearby border villages of Jhoola Ghat, Gethigara, Simpani, Taleswar, Kharktari and Amtari villages at the Indo-Nepal border to find out whether any anti-social elements from across the border were hiding there, he said.