A joint operation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police resulted in the recovery of a Pakistani drone in the Amritsar sector near the India-Pakistan border on Friday.
The Chinese-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic quadcopter drone was found in a farming field adjacent to Dhanoe Kalan village based on specific intelligence inputs, the BSF said.
The forces launched coordinated searches in the border area after receiving tip-offs about the unmanned aerial vehicle. The latest technology drone was detected lying in the fields of a village barely a few kilometers from Pakistan.
Quadcopters can surveil border areas while evading radar and thermal imaging surveillance systems. This exposes gaps along the sensitive frontier even as forces enhance detection capabilities against intruding drones.
The BSF and police are ascertaining where and how the drone flew across the border, and whether it transmitted photographs of Indian territory or dropped arms and ammunition.
The recovery comes amid heightened vigil to curb illegal cross-border intrusions that undermine national security. Ongoing searches aim to uncover underground channels aiding the infiltration of drones from Pakistan.
With Punjab gearing up for key by-polls, the episode highlights the risks of nefarious elements exploiting technology to stoke tensions. The drone finding sets off alarm bells but also showcases inter-agency coordination to neutralize emerging aerial threats.
