AMRITSAR: Border Security Force shot dead two Pakistani smugglers and recovered 12 kilogram of heroin and 1 AK 47 rifle on Sunday morning operation at the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab, a day after 24-kg of the contraband was seized following a similar operation near the border.

Confirming the killing of two intruders at border outpost Rattan Khurd, Border Security Force (BSF) DIG RPS Jaswal said that an AK-47 assault rifle, too, was recovered from the intruders along with 12-kg of heroin.

Jaswal said that the duo were challenged by BSF personnel and were repeatedly asked to surrender, but they ignored the warnings and kept marching towards Indian territory while firing at the troops. That invited retaliation from the jawans and, during the exchange, the intruders were shot dead, he said.

This is for the first time at the international border in Punjab that the Pakistani smugglers have used AK-47 rifle to combat BSF troops for a smuggling operation. Usually they use small weapons for cross border smuggling of narcotics, RPS Jaswal said while talking to TOI on Sunday morning.

Thereafter, after undertaking a comprehensive search at the spot, BSF recovered the drugs and the weapon from near the bodies of the two intruders, who are yet to be identified.

BSF said it may investigate who the Indian contacts were for whom the intruders had brought the drug consignment and the rifle.

A Pakistani smuggler carrying 24-kg heroin was shot dead on Saturday by BSF troops near Ajnala village on the India - Pakistan border in Amritsar.

The intruder had tried to enter Indian territory near a border outpost at Majhmian, Jaswal had said, adding that 24-kg heroin with a street value of Rs 120 crore was recovered from near his body.

In recent past, Pakistani smugglers have increased smuggling attempts through the Punjab border.