Drone spotted again near Jammu Air Force Station, alert sounded

Jammu: Yet another drone was spotted hovering near Air Force Station Jammu early on Wednesday, police sources said here.

Earlier the drone activity was spotted on July 15 near Jammu Air Force base and in Pallanwala area of Akhnoor along the Line of Control.

The two incidents come in less than 24 hrs when BSF troops returned a suspected drone along International Border (IB) in Arnia of Jammu to Pak side.

“At around 0400 hours to 0407 hours, a drone was spotted twice hovering near the Air Force Station,” police sources said.

They said that the drone was spotted close to the Civil Airport located adjoining the Air Force Base and near Chattha area, which is just a few metres away from the Air base.

“Alert was sounded soon after the concerned authorities reported the matter following which the police teams from nearby police stations and police posts were rushed to the spots but nothing was found,” a senior police officer told UNI while confirming the drone activity.

“The flying objects disappeared from sight and a search operation was initiated,” he added.

On June 27, two bombs were airdropped from drones at the Jammu Air Force Station leaving two IAF personnel injured.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating the case.

In view of the drone attack on Jammu Air Base- the district authorities have banned commercial/private use of drones in Samba, Ramban, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch Baramulla, Srinagar, Jammu and Ganderbal districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu Police have also arrested one Pak handler recently from Purmandal Morh, who spilled beans during questioning that he used to collect the weapons and narcotics airdropped from drones hovering in Jammu entering the Indian Territory from across the border and transport it to the Kashmir valley.

One pistol and two hand grenades were also recovered from the truck he was driving. (UNI)