Punjab districts on alert after rise in drone intrusions along border

Increased drone intrusions by Pakistani smugglers from across the international border has prompted authorities to place villages in two Punjab districts on high alert, officials aware of the matter said.

Over the past one week, Border Security Force personnel have shot down at least 13 drones, three each on November 17 and 15, which carried illicit drugs into the country from Pakistan. On November 12 and 13, the border guards shot down four drones, two each on both days.

All the incidents were reported from the border districts of Tarn Taran and Amritsar Rural, a BSF officer aware of the matter said, seeking anonymity. The actual number of drops that Pakistan smugglers may have carried out could be more, he said.

In all the cases, the smugglers used DJI Mavic Classic and DJI Matrice drones, the most common types unmanned aerial vehicles used by them.

“The number of drones that went back after sensing the border guards had detected them could be more. Over the last few days, teams of BSF and Punjab police are jointly conducting searches in the villages,” the officer said. “The attempts by Pakistan smugglers to pump drugs into the country using drones has certainly increased.”

The first case of a drone carrying drugs from Pakistan at the border in Punjab was spotted in 2019. That year, two drones were shot at and recovered by the BSF. There were no cases in 2020, and one case in 2021. Last year, the force seized at least 22 drones. This year, the number has already reached 64.

Border guards expect to recover more drones or drugs that were dropped because the joint teams on November 15 arrested two smugglers from Udhar Dhariwal village in Amritsar district, who were receivers of the drugs, a second official said. The two men are currently in custody of Punjab police.

“These two were working for a resident of the village who owns large tracts of land near the border. The farmer, who is absconding, was using his agricultural land as a drop zone for drones carrying drugs,” the second official said, declining to be named. “HIs house was also used as a hideout for smugglers. Punjab police is questioning them. The interrogation of the two men will help us identify more drop zones and recover drugs.”

In the backdrop of the increasing menace of Pakistan smugglers sending arms and drugs into India through the Punjab boder, the home ministry plans to have an anti-drone system across all vulnerable village along the international border.