The Centre on Friday repatriated Border Security Force Director-General Nitin Agarwal and Special Director-General (West) YB Khurania to their parent cadres, The Indian Express reported. The orders were passed amid an increase in militancy-related incidents and infiltration bids in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Friday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved proposals from the Ministry of Home Affairs to prematurely repatriate Agarwal to his parent cadre of Kerala and Khurania to Odisha, The Hindu reported.

Agrawal was appointed as the Border Security Force chief in June last year and was due to retire in 2026, The Indian Express reported. The Ministry of Home Affairs sent a proposal to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on his removal on July 30.

Khurania headed the formation of the force along the Pakistan border. His proposal was sent on July 26.

The Border Security Force guards the 192 km-long international border along Jammu. The past few months have witnessed an increase in militant attacks and infilitration bids in the Jammu region.

On Tuesday, the home ministry told the Lok Sabha that 14 civilians and an equal number of security personnel have been killed in militancy-related incidents in the Union territory this year till July 21.

In comparison, 14 civilians were killed due to militancy in the whole of 2023, while 30 security personnel were killed in the same period. In 2018, militancy-related incidents left 91 members of security forces and 55 civilians dead, according to the home ministry.