In the past 20 months, as many as 60 drones were spotted by the Border Security Force (BSF), the Punjab Police, and the people of the State in Punjab.

Sharing the information during a high-level meeting with senior officials of BSF and the Punjab Police deployed in the Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said: “It was in September 2019 that the use of drones for smuggling weapons was first established in Amritsar and since then, such flying machines and delivery platforms are being used frequently for smuggling of drugs and weapons, and now, the terrorist attack in Jammu using drone has become another major security concern.”

Gupta, stressing on the need to carry out evidence-based and pro-active policing, also assured total support to the BSF to counter the drone operations at Punjab borders, which have emerged as the new threat on national security horizon, which has heavily dented the security provided by the border fencing.

In the wake of the attack at the Air Force base in Jammu through a drone on Sunday, this was the second high-level meeting presided over by the DGP in the border districts. ADGP Internal Security RN Dhoke, IG Border Range SPS Parmar, and DIG BSF Prabhakar Joshi, along with about eight BSF Commandants were among the senior officials present in the meeting.

Giving a call for total synergy and teamwork between BSF and Punjab Police, DGP Gupta said that it was high time that both the elite forces should work as one team and activate the gathering of good old human intelligence by gathering and sharing real time information.

He asked the BSF officials to share sector-wise inputs of movements of suspected persons with the Punjab Police so that they can keep a sharp vigil on their activities and ensure penal action against those found involved in any criminal activity.

The DGP directed the SSPs of Gurdaspur, Batala, and Pathankot to list out border villages and develop a robust intelligence network by ensuring close collaboration between the Police, public, Guardians of Governance (GOG), NGOs etc in every village so that they promptly notify the Police about any criminal activity taking place in their villages.

He also directed the Commissioner of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to increase the Police checkpoints, especially at night, in their respective jurisdictions and ensure checking of maximum vehicles at every naka, which will help in curtailing the terrorist and criminal activities.

He also advised that all the nakas should be synchronized in a manner that they must get activated promptly on a single call.

DGP also ordered the SSPs to list out and take action against all the proclaimed offenders (POs), bail jumpers and absconders in NDPS Act, Arms Act and UAPA. He also directed them to ramp up the drug recoveries.