*Chinese language written on batteries
Major threat to Shri Amarnath yatra averted
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: Police today averted major threat to annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji, beginning June 30, when it shot down a Pakistani drone near the International Border in Rajbagh area of Kathua district and recovered seven magnetic bombs from it besides other explosive material.
Recovery of magnetic bombs sent from Pakistan by the militants came just days after the Union Home Ministry issued an advisory that drone and sticky bombs were potential threat to Shri Amarnath Ji yatra and that all security and Intelligence agencies and Jammu and Kashmir Police should remain on high alert.
Shri Amarnath Ji yatra in South Kashmir Himalayas will last 43 days this year from June 30 to August 11.
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There were strong apprehensions that Pakistan army, Rangers and militants sitting across the border could send sticky bombs using drones in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts to target the yatra. Pilgrims travelling to Kashmir by road for Shri Amarnath Ji shrine darshan have to travel through Pathankot-Jammu National Highway.
Police officials said movement of a drone was observed at village Talli Hariya Chak in Rajbagh area of Kathua district shortly after it crossed over to the Indian side from the International Border in Kathua district.
“Police personnel spotted movement of drone and fired at it. The flying object was shot down,” the officials said, adding the Bomb Disposal Squad was immediately called to the spot as drone was suspected to be carrying payloads.
During searches, police recovered seven magnetic bombs, almost similar to sticky bombs and an equal number of grenades compatible with Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs) attached to it.
Police officials said police search parties were being regularly sent to the area because of the frequent drone activity from across the border.
“The police party noticed a hexacopter drone and shot it down. Experts reached the spot to decipher the writing on the two batteries of the drone which we believe is Chinese (language),” police officials said.
They added that over the past six to eight months, the police contingents have been carrying out early morning anti-tunneling, anti-drone and border sanitization activities as part of heightened security arrangements, especially in view of the upcoming Amarnath yatra.
They requested the border residents to immediately bring to the notice of the police any suspicious object or movement to ensure the overall security of the region.
This is the third Pakistani drone with a payload of arms and ammunition being shot down by the security forces in Jammu sector since June 2020.
Security forces and police fired at many drones along the International Border in Jammu region forcing them to retreat to Pakistan.
“Pakistan has been making desperate attempts to push explosives especially sticky bombs through the International Border to target yatra. However, BSF and Police have been maintaining very high alert to thwart the Pakistani designs,” the officials said.
Police have termed the recovery of magnetic bombs or sticky bombs a major challenge during this year’s annual yatra to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine.
In a first-of-its-kind seizure in February last year, the Border Security Force had recovered a drone-dropped consignment of 14 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with in-built magnets along the International border in Samba district.
The in-built magnets could be used as “sticky bombs” by sticking them on vehicles and controlling them using a timer and a remotely-held device.
On April 28, the security forces had detected such an IED on Sidhra bypass in the outskirts of Jammu.
Four IEDs fitted with sticky bombs were recovered in Poonch district in August and September, last year.
On June 20, 2020, the BSF had shot down the first Pakistani Hexa-copter drone with a payload of five-and-a-half kilograms, including a sophisticated US-made M4 semi-automatic carbine and seven Chinese grenades at Border Outpost Pansar in Kathua district.
On July 23, 2021, the police had brought down a drone carrying five kilograms of IED along the International Border in Kanachak area in the outskirts of Jammu.
The security forces had also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition besides high grade narcotics airdropped by drones from Pakistan over the past couple of years.
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