BSF on alert after drone spotted at Hussainiwala sector in Ferozepur

The BSF and Punjab Police have launched a special search operation in the area to ascertain whether any arm or drug consignment was dropped in the Indian territory

The personnel of Border Security Force (BSF) were on alert following spotting of drone at the Hussainiwala sector in Ferozepur on Monday late night, prompting the BSF to take up the matter with Pakistan Rangers in a flag meeting on Tuesday . The incident comes days after police recovered Pakistani drones used to airdrop arms and ammunition in border areas of Punjab.

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The BSF and Punjab Police have launched a special search operation in the area to ascertain whether any arm or drug consignment was dropped in the Indian territory.

“Last night between 10 pm and 10.40 pm, the troopers of 136 battalion of the BSF in Hussainiwala joint check post area sighted drone-type object five times. The object was seen four-time on Pakistan side while it entered into the Indian territory once, up to about one kilometre near border outpost (BOP) HK Tower area, adjoining Hussainiwala,” revealed official sources pleading anonymity.

Later it went across the border and could not be spotted again as its light and sound went off, he added.

Another drone reportedly on Pakistan side was again noticed by the BSF personnel at 12.25 am in the area of border outpost Basti Ram Lal, 18km from Ferozepur.

Last month officials in security agencies and the Punjab Police have confirmed that at least eight drone sorties, carrying a total of 80 kg of weapons (arms and ammunition), were sent across the border into Punjab by Pakistan-based Khalistani terror groups between September 9 and 16.

Meanwhile, in a flag meeting on Tuesday at the border in Ferozepur, a deputy commandant-rank BSF official raised objection with his Pakistani counterpart regarding entering of drone into Indian territory, said a BSF official, adding that Pakistani side has ruled out any such misadventure from its side.

Role of Indian smuggler suspected

Secuirty agencies were working on various theories, including an attempt to smuggle arms, ammunition or contraband, with the involvement of India-based smugglers, said a senior police official on the condition of anonymity

Sighting of the drone in the area of Basti Ram Lal, situated near border village Nihala Khilcha, which belongs to notorious drug smuggler Joginder Singh who was held by a special task force (STF) in October 2017 with huge cache of drug money, has alerted the officials.

Joginder had smuggled 98kg heroin in a tube through water route from Pakistan. Pakistan made pistols, sim card and drugs were also seized from his possession. Joginder’s whole family, including brother Harbhajan Rana (now dead), father Piyare Lal, sister Krishna and his mother, have remained in the contraband smuggling business, said the official. Joginder is currently lodged in a jail at Bathinda.

“In case of dropping of contraband, involvement of Joginder’s family could not be ruled out,” said the official.