Drone module: Police teams to inquire about firm’s credentials
PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 20
Amritsar rural police teams have been camping in Delhi and looking into the antecedents of the firm from where the drone module suspects have procured heavy duty unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for smuggling activities.
During preliminary probe, the police have found that Lakhbir Singh and his accomplice Gurpinder Singh had gone to Delhi and procured the heavy duty quadcopter from TRD enterprises located in the Janakpuri area. They had also purchased mini receiver and camera support along with skydroid and a transmitter from there.
The police sources told that they were looking into the credentials of the firm whether it has the license and other mandatory permissions for selling drones. The sources also claimed that two of officials have been detained for investigations. However, no official has confirmed the same.
The government of India has listed guidelines which are mandatory to comply and without it a firm cannot manufacture and sell drones. However, according to police easy availability of UAV on online and even offline has been a challenge for the security and intelligence agencies. The police officials said that only a handful of firms comply with the norms established by the government at the Centre.
On December 15, with the arrest of Lakhbir Singh and Bachittar Singh, the Punjab Police claimed to have busted a module using drones for cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons through an international network, include Pakistan-based smugglers with links to Khalistani operatives.
They have contacts with four smugglers— Simranjit Singh, Surjit Masih, Harjit Singh and Sarabjit Singh, alias Saba— who were brought on production warrant for further interrogation. Gurpinder, who had accompanied Lakhbir Singh to Delhi for purchasing drone, was yet to the arrested.
Abhimanyu Rana, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Majitha, said the police were scrutinising the credentials of the firm at present. He denied of any arrest of the firm official. He said the investigations were under progress and nothing can be shared at the moment as it could hamper the probe.
The case
On December 15, with the arrest of Lakhbir Singh and Bachittar Singh, the Punjab Police claimed to have busted a module using drones for cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons through an international network, which included Pakistan-based smugglers with links to Khalistani operatives.
