Drone attack: Punjab DGP meets BSF, police officers; security up at Kartarpur corridor

Ravi Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Gurdaspur, June 29

DGP Dinkar Gupta met officials of the BSF and the Punjab Police at the BSF guest house and urged them to take preventive measures to counter the use of payload-carrying drones by Pakistan.

The issue of enhancing security at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) of the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak was also discussed.

Anti-drone weapons the key

• A senior officer says in future drone guns and sky fencing systems may be pressed into service to ward off drone attacks
• “A drone gun is capable of jamming the radio, GPS and mobile signal between the drone and its handlers, following which the contraption is forced to the ground,” he says
• The sky fence system uses a range of signal disruptors to jam the flight path of drones and prevents them from entering the target area, he says

The DGP assured officials that he had taken note of the security at the ICP and had asked Batala SSP Rachpal Singh to personally monitor this aspect in and around the corridor. “If need be, I have directed him to increase the security,” he said.

The corridor is located in Dera Baba Nanak which falls in the ambit of the Batala police district.

The DGP held a one-hour joint meeting with BSF and Punjab Police officers. Later, he held 90-minute long confabulations with ADGP (Internal Security) RN Dhoke, STF ADGP B Chandrshekhar, IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar and Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot SSPs Nanak Singh, Rachpal Singh and Surendra Lamba, respectively.

The DGP discussed ways and means to prevent drone attacks in the border areas. He said security had been enhanced at all vital installations falling in Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot, including the IAF airbase, the ammunition dump and the Mamun cantonment.

“I have asked officers to use the last two years’ data to pinpoint areas where drones could be operated by Pakistani agencies. I have also ordered them to identify strategic points in the border areas where CCTVs could be installed,” he added.

The DGP also urged officers to go after drug smugglers operating in their respective areas of jurisdiction. “I want all of you to cultivate more sources, particularly in areas you think are more prone to drug use. I want you to fan out in border area villages where smugglers are said to be operative,” the DGP added.