A huge number of AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and satellite phones were dropped in Punjab’s Amritsar by heavy-lifting drones that came from Pakistan, just across the border for terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab Police officials said on Tuesday.
According to sources, the high-end technology drones were armed with GPS and they carried out about eight ‘sorties’ in September to drop the arms consignment at the designated place and yet remained undetected. With a capacity to carry weight up to 5 kg, the drones flew at low level and at fast pace to evade detection, sources said.
The recovered satellite phones are banned in India, which hints that the delivery was meant for Jammu and Kashmir since mobile internet connection is still snapped in the valley, which is an easy proof that the arms were to be delivered to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir which is still under partial restrictions after the abrogation of Article 370 in the state, sources said.
On Sunday, Punjab Police exposed a terrorist module of revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), backed by a Pakistan and Germany based terror group that was conspiring to unleash a series of terror strikes in Punjab and other adjoining states. Hand grenades and five AK-47 rifles were recovered.
“Module was conspiring to unleash series of terror strikes in Punjab and/or adjoining states. Police seized huge cache of arms including 5 AK-47 rifles, pistols, satellite phones and hand grenades. Further investigations in the case handed over to NIA,” said a statement released by the Punjab CMO.
The arms recovery by the police has put security agencies on high alert to stop any untoward incident or attack on highly sensitive security areas in the country.
The consignment contained five satellite phones, which hints that the delivery was meant for Jammu and Kashmir since mobile internet connection is still snapped in the valley,” said a senior police officer, asking not to be identified.
Sources also said that a half-burnt drone was recovered by policemen in Tarn Taran. The terrorists burnt the drone as it was not able to fly back to Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday tweeted and requested Union home minister Amit Shah to handle the “drone problem at the earliest.”
CM said, “Recent incidents of Pakistan-origin drones dropping consignments of arms & ammunition is a new and serious dimension on Pakistan’s sinister designs in aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370. Request @AmitShah ji to ensure that this drone problem is handled at the earliest.”
These days’ drones are used at border areas by security forces of both India and Pakistan as a spying device. Drones are lightweight, easy to operate and not that expensive but drones used as arms delivery device is a huge threat to the armed forces.