95 drones, mostly from Punjab, recovered; BSF deployment increased: Special DG

CHANDIGARH: BSF Special Director General, Western Command, Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, on Monday said that a total of 95 drones, mostly from Punjab, have been recovered this year.

He added that many steps, including increasing troop deployment and conducting vulnerability mapping, have been taken to prevent smuggling of narcotics and weapons from across the border.

The Western Command of the Border Security Force (BSF) is responsible for effective border management on the India-Pakistan border with five frontiers Kashmir, Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Addressing a press conference, Khurania said that narcotics smuggling has been seen as a challenge for a long time in Punjab and some areas of Rajasthan and Jammu.

Khurania said training is being given to the BSF troops and technique is also being used to prevent smuggling from across the border.

He said that the troop deployment has been increased with an increase in the drone activity and its movement was seen five to six kilometres inside the Indian territory.

Khurania said that special ‘nakas’ (checkpoints) have been put up with the assistance of the local police to check illegal activities.

He further said that CCTVs would be installed under a plan at vulnerable points near the border areas in Punjab to prevent smuggling activities, adding they will be installed by March 2024.

Khurania said that a detailed SOP (standard operating procedure) has been prepared for the jawans on how to deal with the drones coming from across the border.