New Delhi/IBNS: In an unprecedented move, the Centre Friday removed Border Security Force (BSF) Director General Nitin Agrawal and his deputy Special DG (West) YB Khurania and sent them back to their state cadres "with immediate effect", as per government order.

Agrawal belongs to the 1989 batch Kerala cadre, while Khurania is from the 1990-batch of Odisha cadre.

Agrawal took charge as BSF chief in June last year. Khurania, as the special DG (West), was heading the formation of the force along the Pakistan border.

Separate orders issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet said they were being "prematurely" repatriated with "immediate effect."

Constant infiltration from the International Border is one of the factors behind the Centre's move. There have been complaints against the BSF chief over critical matters including alleged lack of coordination, media reports quoting sources said.

"Lack of command and control within the force and lack of coordination with other sister agencies led to his repatriation," a senior officer, requesting anonymity, told NDTV.

This is the first time that heads have been removed in terror-related cases. Even after the Pulwama attack in 2019, no known accountability was fixed by the Home Ministry.

The BSF has some 2.65 lakh personnel and guards the borders with Pakistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east.