Yogesh Sagotra
Jammu, Feb 24 : The troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) spotted the drone activity near the International Border in Ranbir Singh Pura (R S Pura) sector of Jammu district.
Sources told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the troops spotted a blinking light during wee hours between Jabowal and Bikram Post in R S Pura.
“The troops on duty fired 10-12 rounds at the flying object, following which it returned towards the Pakistan side,” they said.
Sources said that suspecting the dropping of weapons or narcotics, BSF troops launched the search operation.
“The troops are carrying searches along the border to rule out any dropping,” they added.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has repeatedly lodged protest with Pakistan Rangers over infiltration attempts by militants and smuggling of arms through drones.
Earlier security forces launched a massive search operation after drone activity was spotted in Dhab in Sandhwan of Kanachak sector near international border in the city outskirts on January 12, 2022.
Pertinently on June 27, 2021, in a first of its kind two bombs were dropped at the Air Force Station, Jammu leaving two IAF personnel injured.
National Investigation Agency is investigating the case, following which strict drone laws were also introduced.
Drones have been repeatedly spotted in the region since June 27, 2021 and Jammu police have successfully shot down an unmanned aerial object – ‘hexacopter’ carrying an IED weighing 5 kg in border town Kanachak of Jammu on July 23, last year.
Following the repeated drone activities and attack on Jammu Air Base last year, the district authorities have banned commercial or private use of drones in Samba, Ramban, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch and Baramulla, Srinagar, Jammu and Ganderbal of Jammu and Kashmir.
Recently, on February 10, the Jammu divisional administration has issued a circular making it obligatory on all drone operators to register their ‘drones’ as per the government’s guidelines in view of the Drone Rules 2021, notified by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“They said rules are applicable to all persons owning, possessing or engaged in leasing, operating, transferring or maintaining unmanned aircraft systems in India.”
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly condemned Pakistan for the drone intrusion today morning in R S Pura Sector and termed it very serious issue relating to security of the country.
Condemning the repeated drone attacks and intrusions by Pakistan in recent times, JKPCC Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma has termed it as a matter of serious concern with regard to security of the country.
“The drone intrusions and attacks by Pakistan are the acts of grave provocations and need to be strongly condemned and curbed,” he said.
He said such drone attacks are the recent introduction to the proxy war by Pakistan and the Government of India should strongly convey its concern and message to Pakistan to desist from such provocative actions and nefarious designs.
He regretted that the border situation and internal security in Jammu and Kashmir worsened during the present regime, “which is very unfortunate and a matter of grave concern.”—(KNO)
