Mendhar/Jammu: Security forces launched a search operation in Poonch district after multiple drones from Pakistan were spotted hovering over forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC), officials said on Monday.
The drone activity was detected around 9:15 pm on Sunday over Balakote, Langote, and Gursai Nallah in the Mendhar sector. Officials said the unmanned aerial vehicles, suspected to be used for surveillance, flew at a high altitude and returned to the Pakistani side within five minutes.
With the break of dawn, security forces cordoned off the area and conducted searches to rule out the possibility of weapons or narcotics being airdropped.
Officials noted that Pakistan’s use of drones for smuggling arms and contraband has become a persistent challenge in recent years. To counter the threat, police last year announced a reward of ₹3 lakh for information on drone sightings that lead to the recovery of dropped material.
