Security forces detected the movement of suspected Pakistani drones along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in multiple districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Samba, Rajouri, and Poonch, officials said on Saturday. In the latest incident, a drone-like object was briefly sighted over a forward area along the IB in Samba district, where it reportedly crossed over from the Pakistan side and hovered for a few minutes over Kandral village in the Ramgarh sector before disappearing.
Search Launches After Drone Sighting
Following the sighting, security forces launched a search operation to rule out the possibility of any airdrop of illicit material such as weapons, ammunition, or narcotics. No objectionable material was recovered, officials said. The incident comes close on the heels of an earlier recovery on January 9, when security forces seized an arms consignment dropped by a Pakistan-origin drone in Paloora village of Ghagwal in Samba district. The cache included two pistols, three magazines, 16 rounds of ammunition, and a grenade, triggering heightened security measures.
Multiple Drone Sightings Along Border
Officials said similar drone movements were noticed in several forward areas on January 11, when suspected drones entered Indian airspace from the Pakistan side and returned after hovering briefly. In Rajouri district, Army troops guarding the Nowshera sector fired from medium and light machine guns after observing drone movement over Gania-Kalsian village. Another drone was spotted over Khabbar village in Teryath, while a drone-like object with a blinking light hovered over Chak Babral village in the Ramgarh sector of Samba.
Additionally, a suspected drone was seen moving from Tain towards Topa in the Mankote sector along the LoC in Poonch district. Ground search operations were launched across all affected areas as a precautionary measure. Security forces remain on high alert, particularly in view of heightened vigilance ahead of Republic Day celebrations, officials added.