JAMMU, JAN 31: Security forces launched a search operation in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday after a drone, suspected to be from Pakistan, was sighted along the International Border (IB), officials said. The unmanned aerial object briefly hovered over Indian territory near Chillyari village before returning towards Pakistan after a couple of minutes, they added.
Following the sighting, police and security personnel launched a detailed search operation in Chillyari village and adjoining areas along the IB to check for any possible airdrop of weapons, explosives or narcotics. Officials said teams were deployed to scan open fields, farmlands and border‑adjacent patches to ensure no contraband had been dropped by the drone.
Authorities also stepped up vigil along the border fence and observation posts, with additional patrolling and night‑vision checks initiated to detect any further suspicious aerial activity. The drone’s brief incursion has once again raised concerns about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for smuggling and surveillance along the Jammu sector of the IB.
This incident comes a day after another suspected Pakistan‑origin drone was spotted hovering over Indian territory along the IB in Ratanpur village of the Ramgarh sector in Samba district on Friday. In that case too, security forces carried out a search operation and intensified border surveillance to prevent any potential infiltration or airdrop attempts.
Officials said the repeated drone sightings highlight the need for enhanced anti‑drone measures and real‑time detection systems along vulnerable stretches of the IB in Jammu. They added that investigations are underway to trace the origin and purpose of the latest drone movement, while forces remain on high alert across the border belt.
