Security forces have recorded 191 drones entering Indian territory illegally over the previous nine months from Pakistan, which has caused serious concerns about the nation’s internal security.
In order to stop such illegitimate attempts by the Pakistanis, the central government recently conveyed the advice of the security forces stationed at the India-Pakistan border. According to the document, of the 191 drones detected, 171 crossed the India-Pakistan border into Indian territory through the Punjab sector, and 20 were spotted in the Jammu sector.
As per the document, the “UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) observation in Indo-Pak border was seen in Punjab and Jammu frontier with effect from January 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022”.
The documents also show that most of these drones, or UAVs, were able to escape, but seven were shot down by members of the Border Security Force (BSF), who are stationed along the Pakistan-India border to keep an eye out for any nefarious activities being carried out by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
Amritsar, Ferozpur, and Abohar in Punjab are the locations of three of the seven drones that were shot down between January 1 and September 15 of this year.
According to information, the BSF shot down the first drone on January 18 in Punjab’s Amritsar, close to the Havelian Border Out Post (BoP). On February 13, the BSF forces once more shot down another drone shortly after it crossed into Indian territory and was seen close to CB Chand BoP in Amritsar.
On March 7 and March 9, respectively, in the TJ Singh BoP in Ferozpur and the Havelian BoP in Amritsar, BSF men also shot down two drones.
A drone was shot down by BSF forces on April 29 near Pulmoran BoP in Amritsar. Another drone was also shot down by BSF forces on May 8 in Amritsar after it was seen close to Bharopal BoP. On June 26, a drone that had been shot down by BSF forces had been spotted close to Jhanger BoP in the Punjabi province of Abohar.
BSF officials said that drones are being used by Pakistan’s side to enter the international border in Jammu and Punjab with guns, explosives, and drugs.
Home Minister Amit Shah was informed of the increasing drone activity across the border during a recent security review meeting in Srinagar with top security and intelligence officials present. The state police and the intelligence agencies disagree with the BSF’s assertion that it was able to fend off drones coming from Pakistan that were carrying weapons, ammo, and explosives in the Jammu sector of the international border.
So far, security forces have shot down drones that have brought AK series assault guns, pistols, MP4 carbines, carbine magazines, high explosive grenades, and drugs into Indian territory from Pakistan.
According to sources from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, security agencies, and BSF intelligence, the drones are also used to drop packets of Afghan heroin to fund terrorist operations in the Valley and Punjab.
According to information obtained, the ISI-supported Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terror organisations with bases in Pakistan and camps on both sides of the international border are responsible for the shipment of weapons, explosives, and drugs.
The Home Ministry has ordered the involved organisations to find a way to put an end to drone activities while also requesting that security organisations and law enforcement personnel maintain a close eye on any such activity.