A Pakistani drone crossed into Indian territory along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district and dropped suspected explosive material, ammunition and narcotics, prompting massive
search operations by security forces.
According to official sources, the drone intruded into the Indian airspace in the Khadi Karmada area of Poonch and remained inside Indian territory for more than five minutes before returning across the LoC.
During the incursion, the drone dropped a consignment that included an improvised explosive device (IED), ammunition and drugs, raising serious security concerns in the sensitive border district.
Soon after the drone movement was detected, the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched extensive cordon and search operations in Khadi Karmada and adjoining areas to trace and secure the dropped items and to rule out any possible terrorist movement on the ground.
A video of the items dropped by the Pakistani drone has surfaced, showing the material recovered from the area.
Security agencies are examining the contents closely as part of their investigation and to assess the nature of the threat posed by the drone activity.
The incident comes amid heightened security measures across the Jammu region amid New Year celebrations.
As part of these intensified anti-terror operations, security forces have stepped up surveillance and ground checks in multiple districts, particularly along border areas and in forested hinterlands.
According to a news agency PTI report, security forces on Tuesday launched cordon and search operations along border areas and the mountainous hinterland of Poonch and Kishtwar districts as part of enhanced anti-terror measures.
Officials said the operations were initiated following specific intelligence inputs.
Acting on information about the presence of two terrorist groups operating in the Doda-Kishtwar forest areas, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Keshwan-Chatroo valley after apprehending a terrorist movement.
Troops deployed drones and other aerial surveillance equipment to monitor the area in a bid to track down the terrorists.
According to reports cited by PTI, two groups of Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, with two to three operatives in each group, are believed to be present in the region, which has witnessed encounters in the past.
In Poonch, the Army’s Romeo Force also carried out search operations at Khanetar Top along the Indo-Pak border and adjoining areas following suspected terrorist movement.
Officials said the troops were equipped with aerial surveillance support and sniffer dogs during the operation.
In addition, security forces have intensified vehicle checking along the Pathankot-Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts as part of the heightened alert ahead of the New Year, the PTI report mentioned.
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