Pakistani drones getting more sophisticated

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, July 10

Notwithstanding the success of yesterday’s anti-drug drive initiated by the Punjab Police, senior officers are firm of the opinion that drugs will continue to flow into Punjab from across the border till effective steps are taken to blunt the efficacy of Pakistani drones.

Officers engaged in the battle against drugs admit that these flying machines are getting more and more sophisticated with every passing day. The border belt has always been considered to be a fertile ground by Pakistan to push in dope.

The BSF is acquiring anti-drone guns and jammers, which will be placed at strategic locations near the IB in Punjab. Similar equipment is already in use in J&K.

Keeping in view the threat of these flying contraptions, Gurdaspur SSP Harjit Singh said for the last one month, the police were combing the agriculture fields of Dorangla and Kalanaur police stations daily.

Earlier, Pakistani smugglers used to bring in dope using pipes thrown across the wire fencing. Now, they are using state-of-the-art drones.

A Border Range SSP revealed that till a few months ago Pakistani drones would make a loud noise. “Now, they are sending in flying machines, which barely make a noise. This makes it difficult for us to detect,” he said.

Old timers recall how in 2001 the BSF and police stumbled upon a tunnel, which originated from across the fencing and opened up near the BSF’s outpost of Chauntra in Dorangla police station in Gurdaspur police district. The passage was 3-feet high and 2-feet wide. It opened 50 metre into Indian territory in the middle of a sugarcane plantation. The outpost of Pakistan Rangers, from where the tunnel must have started, is clearly visible from Chauntra.

Fearing criticism, the incident was given a quiet burial by the agencies. The recent use of Pakistani origin Chinese-made drones has become a big headache for the Punjab Police.

‘Flying machines’ difficult to detect

• Officers engaged in the battle against drugs admit that these flying machines are getting more and more sophisticated with every passing day. The border belt has always been considered to be a fertile ground by Pakistan to push in dope.
• A Border Range SSP revealed that till a few months ago, Pakistani drones would make a loud noise. “Now, they are sending in flying machines, which barely make a noise. This makes it difficult for us to detect,” he said.

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