UAVs make 3 sorties in Tarn Taran, Amritsar border areas

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 17

Owing to dense fog that engulfed the border region for the second consecutive day on Friday, the intelligence and security agencies fear that the frequency of drone movements from across the international border may increase.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made around three sorties in Amritsar and Tarn Taran border area late on Thursday evening. As per details, the drone made around three sorties inside the Indian territory which was duly countered by the Border Security Force jawans. However, it returned to Pakistan.

Alarmed over this, BSF jawans and heavy police force from Amritsar Rural Police and Tarn Taran area searched the entire border belt, where drone movements were noticed. Though nothing was recovered by the search teams.

“Drone sorties were noticed from 11pm to 3am by the BSF, who fired at directions from where the humming sound of drones were coming, but it returned,” informed Rakesh Kaushal, SSP, Amritsar Rural.

These (drone sorties) were noticed in the areas between Sarai Amanat Khan in Tarn Taran and Rajatal border village falling under the jurisdiction of Amritsar rural police. The search teams of BSF, Tarn Taran and Amritsar rural police combed around 3km area along the border to find if the drones dropped something, including contraband, firearms or explosives such as hand grenades that has been recovered during the previous search operations following drone sorties.

Kaushal said the area comprises dense wild growth. The BSF and police teams of two districts searched every inch of the border belt though nothing was recovered. The search operation continued till late Friday evening, he said.

When asked about the challenge posed during the fog season, as it may push the frequency of drone sorties, he said the BSF and Punjab Police were working in tandem.

“Joint patrolling parties of the BSF and police have been deputed at the border, while independent teams were also there for patrolling and search,” he said, adding that close eyes were being kept at notorious elements and history-sheeters. 

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