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NIA probes Pakistan, Australia 'links' behind arms drop by rogue drone in Amritsar
NIA probes suspected Pakistan, Australia links to June drone arms drop in Amritsar, with 26 weapons recovered and a local receiver arrested.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing suspected Pakistan and Australia links to a drone-based arms drop in Amritsar in June this year, which officials believe was intended to supply weapons for subversive activities, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
A local receiver, Rohan Khosla, in his early 20s, was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police on June 18 while travelling on NH-354 after collecting a consignment of 26 weapons near the border, officials said. The cache included an AK-47, 14 9mm pistols, 11 .30-bore pistols, 368 live cartridges, 48 magazines and an American bulletproof vest, they added.
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The consignment was dropped near the Ajnala sector, under BSF border outpost 117, on the intervening night of June 16 and 17 through a rogue drone intrusion, officials said.
After taking over the probe from Punjab Police, the NIA began examining the role of an Australia-based associate of Khosla, who allegedly directed him to collect the consignment after sharing the drop location through social media applications, they said. Investigators suspect a network involving Pakistan’s ISI, gangsters and pro-Khalistan elements, and are verifying the intended destination of the weapons.
The development comes amid central agencies’ efforts to uncover an ISI-backed network allegedly supplying arms and drugs and radicalising youngsters through social media.
