Terror infrastructure intact in Pak; weapons dropping new challenge: BSF

On June 20, the Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a Hexa copterdrone with a payload of five-and-a-half kilograms including a sophisticated US-made M4 semi-automatic carbine and seven grenades at Rathua village in Kathua district.

Jammu: Asserting that the terror infrastructure in Pakistan is intact, a top Border Security Force (BSF) officer on Sunday said airdropping of weapons by drones in Jammu and Kashmir is a new challenge along with various anti-India elements coming together.

Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu frontier, N S Jamwal said all security agencies are alive to the new security challenges and are maintaining tight vigil to scuttle the nefarious designs of the enemy forces.

He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a major recovery of 62 kg of heroin worth crores of rupees along with two pistols, three magazines and 100 rounds along the International Border (IB) in Arnia area of RS Pura sector here.

"The terror infrastructure (in Pakistan) is intact as is evident from the increased activities like attempts to smuggle weapons and narcotics and firing incidents on the borders," the officer said.

He said the new threat has emerged with the use of drones to airdrop weapons.

"We are alert and the work for counter-measures to deal with it is in progress," Jamwal said, adding such type of activity was first reported in Punjab and subsequently extended to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the forces are alert to the threat and have successfully foiled two such attempts in the past few months.

The work on the counter-measures is in progress and we are utilising technology to deal with the threat.

On June 20, the Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a Hexa copterdrone with a payload of five-and-a-half kilograms including a sophisticated US-made M4 semi-automatic carbine and seven grenades at Rathua village in Kathua district. Three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were arrested along with a cache of weapons airdropped near the LoC in Rajouri district last week.

Jamwal said forces have already been sensitised about the challenge, resulting in successful operations after airdropping of the weapons.

Asked about reports that various terrorist organisations are joining hands while Khalistani handlers are supervising the smuggling of drugs into India with the help of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, he said all anti-India elements are coming together wherever they get an opportunity.

Security agencies are aware of this fact and appropriate measures are being adopted to meet the challenge, he said.

(PTI)