Security agencies have warned of a drone threat in the upcoming winter season with recent inputs received regarding the observation of over 190 drones into Indian Territory from Pakistan in the last nine months.
The officials concerned told the TDG that the drone threat is especially observed in highly sensitive areas like the Samba, Rajouri, and Kathua sectors of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab’s Amritsar, Ferozpur, and other regions along the India-Pakistan border.
An official said, requesting anonymity, that Pakistan’s ISI is believed to have planned to drop arms and ammunition through these drones.
Since January this year, a total of 191 drones were observed by security agencies till September 30, when they entered into Indian Territory. Of them, 171 entered into Indian Territory through the India-Pakistan border along the Punjab sector, while 20 were seen in the Jammu sector, said another official.
As per officials, most of the drones managed to flee while a total of seven have been shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, who are deployed along the India-Pakistan border.
Among seven drones shot down this year between 1 January and 15 September, three were observed in Punjab’s Amritsar, Ferozpur, and Abohar regions.
As per inputs, the first drone was shot down by the BSF on January 18 in Punjab’s Amritsar near the Havelian Border out Post (BoP). The BSF personnel on February 13 again showed down another drone soon after it entered into Indian Territory and was observed near CB Chand BoP in Amritsar. The BSF personnel also shot down two drones on March 7 and March 9 in Ferozpur’s TJ Singh and Amritsar’s Havelian BoPs, respectively.
On April 29, BSF personnel shot down a drone near Pulmoran BoP in Amritsar. The BSF personnel also shot down another drone on May 8 when it was observed near Bharopal BoP in Amritsar. The last drone shot down by the BSF personnel was observed on June 26 near Jhanger BoP in the Abohar region of Punjab.
As per a senior BSF official, drones are being used by Pakistan to transport weapons, explosives, and narcotics across the international border in Jammu and Punjab.