Drone threat: Security agencies hold meeting in Jalandhar

CHANDIGARH: In a rare exercise in Jalandhar on Friday, various security agencies and armed forces chalked out a joint strategy to meet threat from Pakistan in the wake of drones airdropping arms and contraband in the border areas of the state.

The meeting chaired by Punjab Director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta was attended by senior officials of the Air Force, Military Intelligence, Border Security Force (BSF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and officials from other agencies.

It is learnt that the meeting was held on the directions of Union home ministry in the wake of serious challenge emerging from across the border.

After the Punjab Police foiled the nefarious design of Pakistan with the seizure of arms airdropped in Taran Taran village by drones from Pakistan, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also strongly taken up the matter with Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

Police had seized a huge cache of arms, including 5 AK-47 rifles, pistols, satellite phones and hand grenades, from the module backed by Pakistan-based handlers of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Two drones which had failed to fly back after dropping arms were also recovered from the module.

In the meeting that lasted for nearly two hours, security and intelligence agencies decided to share information concerning the matter among all agencies, especially bringing in more synergy in intelligence sharing with the police.

The possibility of dropping of arms and ammunitions gone unnoticed and chances of their supply and use was also dwelled upon.

“Drones from across the border might have airdropped weapons and ammunitions on earlier occasions too. A strategy was chalked out to increase more intelligence vigil on the sleeper cells of Khalistan that Pakistan might be planning to activate,” said a police official.

Notably, from past few months, threat of Pakistani drones has emerged as a new challenge for security agencies.

Even after the KZF module was busted, at least three drones were spotted in the villages of Ferozepur sector. Following this, Ferozepur deputy commissioner has banned any kind of use of drone, including capturing of visuals in marriage or other functions.

MEETING CHAIRED BY PUNJAB DGP DECIDED TO INCREASE SURVEILLANCE IN BORDER AREAS AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE POLICE