Ferozepur: BSF trains border residents on SOPs to combat drones

Anirudh Gupta

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Ferozepur, June 29

The Border Security Force (BSF) has started training sarpanches and farmers belonging to over 50 villages along the India-Pakistan border on how to combat drones, which have been dropping firearms, explosives and narcotics at pre-designated locations in these areas.

The BSF is educating the villagers on the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed in the event of a drone hovering above their fields. As per information, over a dozen training camps have been organised at Pacharian and Shameke villages of Ferozepur and Muthianwali village of Tarn Taran.

MOVE TO DISPEL FEAR AMONG VILLAGERS

The initiative has been launched to spread awareness on drones and dispel any kind of fear among border residents. We have arranged for a demo to make them aware of the sound of a drone. —Om Parkash, Commandant, 116 battalion, BSF, Ferozepur Sector

The BSF has also started an identification exercise in these villages to make lists of residents and spot any suspicious elements.

As per information, the BSF sleuths belonging to its “G” branch were also keeping an eye on “rags-to-riches” stories in these villages as many individuals having NRI connections and political backing have raised palatial houses in this belt raising many eyebrows. Notably, many of them have been directly or indirectly involved in drug peddling also to make quick bucks, inviting suspicion of the intelligence agencies working in the field.

Earlier, the Punjab Frontier had also announced a cash reward on information about people who were involved in retrieving the material being dropped by drones. Even the jurisdiction of the BSF was enhanced up to 50 km inside the border with an aim to empower them in wake of the use of UAVs and drones.

Moreover, the BSF Director General had also said they were working to develop counter-drone and anti-tunnel technologies to effectively check cross-border drugs and arms smuggling.