Security forces on Tuesday recovered a cache of arms and ammunition dropped by a Pakistani drone across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu division in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
It was the fifth such incident since June 20 when a similar arms-laden drone was shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at Rathua in Kathua district’s Hiranagar sector.
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Pakistan, which is desperate to fuel terrorism in the UT, has adopted the latest modus operandi of using drones to drop arms, ammunition, drugs and money.
A J&K Police official said that a Pakistani drone dropped arms and ammunition at Sohal Khad -- a dry rivulet -- in Pallanwala, which is located about 12 kilometres (km) from the Akhnoor sector.
The arms and ammunition were dropped in the rivulet and the drone flew back into Pakistani territory, he added.
He said the area was located at a crucial intersection of the LoC and the International Border (IB).
{{/usCountry}}He said the area was located at a crucial intersection of the LoC and the International Border (IB).
{{/usCountry}}“We have recovered a packed bag that contained two AK-47 assault rifles, three AK magazines, 90 AK bullets, measuring 7.62 millimetres (mm), two pistols and pistol magazines along with bullets,” he added.
On September 19, a Pakistani drone had dropped arms and ammunition across the LoC in Jammu’s Rajouri district for three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants.
The LeT militants had come from Pulwama in the Kashmir valley via the Mughal road and had picked up the consignment before security forces arrested them.
The militants have been identified as Rahil Bashir alias Ayaan Bhai (20) of Tickan in Pulwama; Amir Jaan alias Hamza (25) of Kakapora in Pulwama; and Hafiz Younus Wani alias Zubair (19) of Shopian.
Security forces had seized two AK-56 assault rifles, six AK magazines with 180 rounds of ammunition, two Chinese-made pistols, three pistol magazines with 30 rounds of bullets, four grenades and Rs 1 lakh in cash from the arrested trio.
Dilbagh Singh, director-general of police (DGP), J&K, said though detecting weapons being dropped via drones in hilly areas was a challenging task, security forces were taking counter measures to thwart the nefarious designs of Pakistan-based subversive elements.