Increase in cross-border drone intrusions in Punjab, opposition questions centre

There have been six drone attacks since January 2022. The biggest attack was foiled when the four alleged terrorists were caught from Karnal, Haryana. The four were transporting the explosives sent via drones by Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa terrorist Harvinder Rinda.

Chandigarh: The Centre's move to deploy the BSF along the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab over six months ago has done little to check the drone attacks from across the border with politics heating up over in the issue in the border state. On 13 October 2021, the Union Home Ministry Amit Shah increased the BSF's jurisdiction in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam to 50 km.

There have been six drone attacks since January 2022. The biggest attack was foiled when the four alleged terrorists were caught from Karnal, Haryana. The four were transporting the explosives sent via drones by Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa terrorist Harvinder Rinda.

SHO Kamaljit Singh Rai of Khemkaran area said that the Punjab Police was helpless on the issue of drones flying into India from across the border. He said the BSF “does not let us cross the wire”. District Gurdaspur Superintendent of Police Gurmeet Singh said that "BSF needs to adopt better technology, only then such incidents can be stopped”.

'Conspiracy to defame Punjab'

Sukhdev Singh, a farmer in Bhojraj village of Gurdaspur district, said that the repeated incidents of drones being located in the Indian territory was a “failure of the central intelligence”. “Repeated drone attacks are also a big conspiracy to defame Punjab, which is not only an issue of national but also international level,” he said.

Another farmer Paramjit Singh, a resident of the border village Gudaike in District Tarn Taran, said that the BSF needs to do everything it can to stop the drones from flying into the Indian border. Farmer Karaj Singh from border village Ghariala in Tarn Taran said that the central government should reduce the area of BSF as before “only then they will be able to do their duty properly”.

Former DGP of Punjab Police Shashi Kant said that "India is trying to bring anti-drone technology to the country as soon as possible”. Shashikant said that there was "no lack of coordination in the security agencies".

Politics hot on drone issue

Punjab Congress spokesperson Kanwar Harpreet while reacting sharply to the continuous movement of drones across the border and supply of arms and drugs said, “I am not questioning the performance of the BSF or army but Punjab Police is fully capable of handling such cases as well”. Aam Aadmi Party Punjab spokesperson Ahhbaab Singh Grewal said that it was a “central issue and the Centre needed to be more strict on it”.

"Punjab has already gone through a period of extremism. The borders should be tightened so that smuggling of drugs or weapons is plugged once for all," he said. Harpal Singh Dhillon, President, Youth Akali Dal, Bathinda District, questioned extension of the BSF jurisdiction. He said that both the Central and State Governments should take necessary steps.

Senior leader of Punjab BJP, Rajesh Bagha said that the “advantage of increasing the radius of 50 km was that BSF is now keeping an eye on such activities from afar”. He said that the “enemy's job is to send drones and our job is to eliminate what is being done”. BSF Spokesperson Pushpinder posted in Ferozepur said that the Government of India is coming up with an anti-drone system in the border areas, so that such problems can be dealt with effectively.