Pak military chopper detected flying close to IB in Jammu

Jammu, Feb 1 (PTI) A Pakistani military helicoptertoday was found flying close to the international border inJammu sector and sighted by BSF troops deployed along theIndo-Pakistan border here.

The olive green colour chopper was flying close to theinternational border around 1540 hours today and sighted byBSF personnel deployed in the Alfa Machial post along R S Purasector, a senior BSF officer told PTI.

It was not immediately whether the the movement ofhelicopter was picked up by our sensors, radars and an airdefence alert of the Indian Air Force, he said.

"The Pakistani chopper had violated Indian air space,"BSF office said. It was flying near the international borderin Kalyal Kaber post of Pakistan.

Earlier on January 19, two Pakistani aircraft flewclose to the international border in Jammu sector, triggeringan air defence alert of the Indian Air Force.

The two low-flying Pakistani light aircraft weredetected close to Indian territory and were sighted by BSFtroops deployed in RS Pura sector in Jammu. Their movement andapproach were picked up by sensors and radars, IAF sourcessaid.

Thought the aircrafts were flying in Pakistaniterritory, it was a breach of agreement between the two sidesthat barred flying of fixed-wing aircraft in 10 km area fromeither side of the international boundary, they said.

"As per its Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), theIAF responds in such situation looking at the level of threatposed by the aircraft," they said, without giving details.

The SOP could range from activating surface-to-airmissile batteries to scrambling of fighter aircraft locatedclose to the area.

The issue, the sources said, would also be taken upwith Pakistani authorities through the External AffairsMinistry.

In the last three years, Pakistan''s military aircraft,helicopters and spy drones or unmanned aerial vehicles haveviolated Indian airspace on 23 occasions.