Drones sightings continue during night
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 30: National Security Guards (NSG) chief MA Ganapathy and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Director General Sudhir Kumar Saxena today visited technical airport at Indian Air Force (IAF) Station in Satwari for on spot assessment of the situation following two drone attacks there in the wee hours of June 27, the first of its kind terror strikes in the country in which two IAF personnel were injured while minor damage was caused to a building.
Click here to watch video
Accompanied by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh, the NSG and CISF heads visited the Air Force Station and were there for more than two hours to investigate the attacks and review preventive measures required to counter any such attack in future at strategic installations.
Specialists from the counter-terror drone wing of the NSG also demonstrated the functioning of its counter-UAS mechanism at the technical area of the IAF station, sources said.
UAS stands for unidentified aerial systems.
The NSG is understood to have procured the gadget from abroad and it is used to detect unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones and suspicious flying objects that fly at below-radar levels.
The CISF has a stake in counter-drone defence and attack mechanism as it is entrusted with the perimeter security of 64 civil airports, including the sensitive ones at Srinagar, Delhi and Mumbai.
The NIA had yesterday taken over the probe in the sensational terror attacks.
Meanwhile, suspected drones were also spotted for fourth time on the intervening night of June 29 and 30 over Army installations at Miran Sahib at around 9.32 pm on Tuesday and Kaluchak and Kunjwani at 4.40 am and 4.52 am on Wednesday, respectively, the officials said, adding that there was no reaction from the Army troops on the ground as the drones were flying at a high altitude.
An Army officer, when contacted, neither confirmed nor denied the sighting of drones over the past few days.
A high-alert is being maintained at all security establishments following drone attacks and their subsequent sightings over military installations.
Meanwhile, police began a house-to-house verification drive in residential colonies near the Jammu airport, three days after an Indian Air Force (IAF) station there was targeted.
In the drive that began from Peer Baba in Chatha area, police personnel collected details of residents, including their contact numbers.
The IAF also deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fitted with camera that hovered over its station and nearby residential areas for several hours in the afternoon, the officials said.
They said additional floodlights have been installed at the IAF base and more lights on high masts are being set up.
There were also reports of sighting of unidentified drones over vital military installations during the previous three nights.
The Army on Monday had confirmed the presence of drones over its Brigade headquarters at the Ratnuchak-Kaluchak Station and said a major threat was thwarted by the alertness and proactive approach of the troops who engaged the unmanned vehicles after being spotted twice at 11.45 pm and 2.40 am on Sunday night.
Both the drones disappeared after firing by the troops but no debris was found during the subsequent search operation in and around the camp.
Reports also claimed sighting of drones over Ratnuchak and Kaluchak around 1.08 am and 3.09 am on Tuesday and again over the Kunjwani garrison around 4.19 am.
Meanwhile, authorities in border district of Rajouri today ordered ban on the storage, sale or possession and use and transport of the flying machines.
An official order directed those having drones or like objects in their possession to deposit the same with local police station.
However, the Government agencies using drones for mapping, surveys and surveillance would get the local police station in-charge and Executive Magistrate informed.
As per the order, authorities imposed the ban/restrictions on the storage, sale, possession, use and transport of any drone or small flying objects/flying toys in the district in exercise of powers vested under Section 144 of CrPC.
“However, those having already the drone cameras/flying objects or toys or like objects in their possession shall get the same deposited with the local Police Station against proper receipt,” the order said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
