Drones from Pakistan: One more KZF operative arrested as divers retrieve missing parts

New Delhi, Sep 27: A massive search operation is underway after investigations learnt that the terrorists of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) had thrown several parts of the Pakistan heavy lifting drone into a canal near the Dhode village in Punjab.

It may be recalled that the Punjab police had found that heavy lifting drones from Pakistan were used to drop off arms and ammunition near the Punjab border. The consignment was meant to be picked up by the members of the KZF and then transported to Jammu and Kashmir, the police also learnt.

The Punjab Police nabbed four members of the proscribed outfit. Further investigations also led to the arrest of another person identified as Shubhdeep Singh alias Shubh. It is learnt that the five persons had destroyed a drone after it failed to fly back to Pakistan.

They then threw parts of the drone into a canal near the Dhode village. To retrieve the material, more than five divers were pressed into service.

It may be recalled that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had said that recent incidents of Pakistan-origin drones dropping consignments of arms and ammunition is a new and serious dimension on Pakistan's sinister designs in the aftermath of Article 370 being abrogated. He urged the Home Minister to solve this problem at the earliest.

The statement came in the wake of a serious concern being reported in Punjab, where heavy lifting drones have found to be dropping a large number of AK-47 rifles and grenades from across the border.

Investigations have shown that these weapons were being dropped off in Punjab are meant to be transported to Jammu and Kashmir. Over the past 10 days, the drones are said to have carried out 8 sorties to drop the weapons, which also include satellite phones.

The heavy lifting drones can carry up to 5 kilograms and also capable of flying fast and low to evade detection, a source in the Punjab Police informed OneIndia. The first clues came in after the police found a burnt drone at Tarn Taran. The drone was burnt down by the terrorists after it failed to fly back to Pakistan.

This led to the recovery of arms and ammunition in Amritsar near the Pakistan border. There has been enhanced activity by Pakistan especially on the Punjab border. The intention is to drop off as many arms and other material so that it can be smuggled into Jammu and Kashmir for the terrorists over there to use.

Counter Intelligence Officials tell OneIndia that the focus for the ISI is on J&K. With security at an all-time high, it is unable to move the arms through the border. Hence the ISI has been using the Punjab border to drop off the arms. Further, the agency has also directed the operatives of the KZF and BKI to activate its networks and help move the consignment into Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI has been looking to launch a major strike in J&K and hence wants to facilitate the terrorists there with arms and ammunition.