Pak plane ‘violates’ Indian airspace in Jammu

JAMMU: A ‘mystery’ plane from Pakistan, suspected to be on a reconnaissance mission, allegedly violated Indian airspace on Monday in RS Pura sector of Jammu district. “A two-seater aircraft from Pakistan today (Monday) entered the Indian airspace from Vikram border outpost in Arnia sub sector at around 1.05 pm,” said an official.

JAMMU: A ‘mystery’ plane from Pakistan, suspected to be on a reconnaissance mission, allegedly violated Indian airspace on Monday afternoon in RS Pura sector of Jammu district.

“A two-seater aircraft from Pakistan today (Monday) entered the Indian airspace from Vikram border outpost in Arnia sub sector at around 1.05 pm. It flew inside the Indian territory for four minutes and then returned to Pakistan from Sangral post in RS Pura sector,” said an intelligence official.

A BSF officer confirmed the incident, and added that the light aircraft flew close to the International Border for about four minutes before returning to Pakistan. “The aircraft was flying high up in the air at around 1.05 pm. We are not sure if the aircraft violated Indian airspace,” said the official.

The incident has happened at a time when the border state of Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing violence across Kashmir since July 8 when Hizbul militant Burhan Wani was killed.

Last year, both Arnia and RS Pura sub sectors in Jammu district were subjected to heavy mortar shelling by Pakistan, triggering migration of tens of thousands of villagers from the forward areas.

On May 23, 2014 a similar ‘mystery’ plane, initially believed to be from Pakistan on a reconnaissance mission, had violated the Indian airspace in Suchetgarh area of RS Pura sector in Jammu district.

The violation that happened in the high skies over the stretch between Suchetgarh and Abdulian in RS Pura sector from 9.55 am to 9.57 am kept the security forces jittery before it turned out to be an international flight of Thai Airways, which had to “deviate its track due to bad weather”.

Pakistan and China clandestinely use their Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) on IB, Line of Control and Line of Actual Control for conducting reconnaissance missions.

On June 15 last year, Pakistan Army had claimed it shot down an Indian UAV at Bhimber Gali sector in Poonch district after it breached Pakistani airspace. Indian Army had rubbished Pakistan’s claims. Defence experts had said the small Chinese model was sold commercially for aerial filming and contained no secret military technology.