Day after Jammu IAF base attack, 2 drone activities thwarted

Within 24 hours of a terror attack at the Air Force Station Jammu, two drone activities were thwarted by the Indian Army in the Kaluchak area of Jammu. Drone tried to enter the Army establishment at 11.45 pm and 2.40 am but was chased away by alert troops. 

The security forces fired around 20-25 rounds at the drones before the two drones escaped under the cover of darkness, officials said.

“On midnight of 27-28 June 2021, two separate drone activities were spotted over Ratnuchak-Kaluchak military area by alert troops. Immediately, high alert was sounded and quick reaction teams engaged them with firing,” said Defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand.

He added that both the drones were chased away. “A major threat thwarted by the alertness and proactive approach of troops. The security forces are on high alert and the search operation is in progress,” he added. 

This was the second attempt in two days and in another high-security zone, causing panic among locals as well as the security establishment. The area which was the target of these drones is 17.8 km from the International Border. However, the origin of drones is yet to be established.

Sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have called this incident a “serious concern” as it would pose a challenge to the security of vital installations in Jammu and Kashmir. Soon after the second incident was reported, National Security Guard commandos were deployed at various “high assets” of the security forces in Jammu including Air Force Station which came under attack on 27 June via drones.

Additional Director General of Police, Jammu, Mukesh Singh also visited the blast site inside the Air Force station in Jammu and also reviewed the preparations of various agencies to thwart any such attempts in future.