Army, BSF sound red alert along LoC, IB in JK against air-intrusion by Pak drones

Jammu: Taking serious note of Pakistan using Chinese drones to airdrop weapons in Punjab, the Army and BSF has sounded an all-out alert along the entire Indo-Pak border and LoC, asking boarder guarding troops and observation posts to keep a “hawk’s eye” over similar air-intrusions in future.

GPS-fitted drones capable of lifting up to 10 kg of weight flew in from Pakistan seven to eight times to airdrop several cache of arms, ammunition and fake currency, which were seized in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, the ongoing probe by the Punjab police has revealed.

The Army and BSF officials said the troops and observation posts have been asked to maintain the highest possible vigilance along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch and Baramulla, Kupawara districts of the state.

“It is a new modus operandi of Pakistan to smuggle arms, ammunition and explosives in India for triggering terror. We have activated our forces to keep a hawk’s eye on movement of drones along the IB,” BSF officials said.

BSF troops guarding over 180 kms of IB with Pakistan have strengthened their observation posts and “listening posts” to keep a close watch against any intrusion by drones.

The BSF is also patrolling riverine areas along the IB and has deployed water patrol teams in the Chenab river to foil terrorists’ design to infiltrate into India from Pakistan, they said.

They have been told to shoot down any drone intruding into the Indian airspace, they said.

The Army has also intensified patrolling in mountainous valleys and riverine areas along the LoC in Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch and Rajouri districts to check intrusions of drones from Pakistan and infiltration by terrorists.

The troops along the LoC are on the highest degree of alertness in the wake of Pakistan’s plans to stage infiltration and use drones to smuggle weapons, Army officials said.

A top Army commander on Wednesday said Indian armed forces are capable of identifying such devices and any military drone venturing into Indian territory from Pakistan will be “shot down”.

Referring to the reports on intrusion by Pakistani drones and their low weight carrying capacity, South Western Command chief Lt Gen Alok Singh Kler said there was “nothing to worry” at the moment.

The Punjab Police on Sunday claimed to have busted a terror module of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), backed by a terror group based in Pakistan and Germany.

It said the terror group was conspiring to unleash a series of strikes in Punjab and adjoining states.

During investigation, the accused revealed that drones were used to airdrop arms and ammunition, officials of the Counter-Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police said.