BSF on alert as onset of foggy days heightens risk of drone incursion

With the onset of winter season, the dense fog that engulfed the region lowering visibility, has posed a stiff challenge before the Border Security Force (BSF) as it is likely to increase the frequency of drone intrusions for smuggling drugs and weapons from across the border.

The BSF has recovered 219 drones during this year so far, almost double than the previous year. A majority of them were shot down or found in damaged condition in the fields in villages adjoining the Indo-Pak border in Amritsar and Tarn Taran border districts.

Keeping this in view, the BSF also took a slew of measures to counter the trans-border smuggling by Pakistan-based anti-national elements.

“We have deployed an anti-drone system which can detect drones even in low visibility conditions besides installing thermal imagers to check the movement of traffickers near the barbed fence in case they use traditional piped method for sneaking in the contraband,” said IG Punjab Frontier Atul Fulzale.

The BSF has also intensified patrolling besides carrying out joint operations with Punjab Police and other allied intelligence and security agencies.

The 533 kilometer international border with Pakistan remains a major transit point for smuggling narcotics originating from Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, during the past couple of years, unmanned aerial vehicles are being used by smugglers for drug and weapon smuggling.

“Now, smaller drones are the preferred mode by Pakistani smugglers which are a safer module for them as they do not have to take the risk of coming near the border for sneaking in consignments,” said IG Fulzale while adding that these flying machines are not easily detected with naked eye and can fly at very high altitudes. They can carry a payload ranging from 500 gram to 1 kg.

Besides using advanced techniques to counter the drone problem, the BSF was also encouraging the border villagers to share information regarding suspicious activities. Also, real-time information is shared with other intelligence agencies for prompt action.