Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who played a RAW agent in his last film Ek Tha Tiger, will join the ranks of paramilitary ITBP troops for a half-marathon here next month. The 46-year-old actor will flag off the half-marathon called ITBP Run for the Nation on October 7 from the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium here and is expected to run a few miles with the troopers to emphasise that youth should join the security forces.

Salman is expected to be joined by a host of other celebrities and sportstars including Olympic bronze medal winner Yogeshwar Dutt at the half-marathon. The actor has also recently recorded a promotional clip appealing to the youth to join the run in large numbers. "We need to tell the people and the youth of the country about ITBP. We need young blood to join this elite force... Salman has appealed for the same cause. He will be flagging off the marathon on October 7," ITBP chief Ranjit Sinha told reporters here.

The Director General also honoured Dutt for his feat of bagging a bronze in the 60kg free-style event in the London Olympics. "I feel honoured to be awarded by a paramilitary force like ITBP and I appeal to the youth to join the half-marathon on October 7. Afterall, youth is the power of the country," Dutt told PTI on the sidelines of the ITBP event where he was presented with a shawl and citation. Dutt holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in Haryana. The October 7 half-marathon will be of 21.09 kms while the shorter version will be of 3kms.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is celebrating its golden jubilee year of raising this year and the half-marathon is part of these celebrations. The force was raised in 1962 to counter the Chinese aggression and at present the about 60,000 personnel strong force guards the 3,488km long Sino-Indian border. The troops, who are called Himveers as they are deployed at icy heights and sub-zero temperatures, have undertaken an Everest expedition and a river rafting voyage in the Ganges earlier this year as part of the raising day celebrations.