Chandigarh: Border Security Force troops in Punjab’s Amritsar on Friday shot down a drone that had sneaked into the Indian territory from Pakistan, an official said.
BSF personnel at the Shahpur border outpost fired 17 rounds after they noticed the drone coming from the Pakistani side around 4:30 am, the official said.
Illuminating bombs were also used to increase visibility as it was still dark, he said, adding that the drone was shot down immediately after it entered Indian territory in the area falling near Bhaini Gill village in Amritsar.
During the search that followed, troops recovered a quadcopter (DJI Matrice) weighing four kilograms, a BSF statement said.
It said a wing-rod of the quadcopter was broken and there was a hold-and-release mechanism.
A nylon rope along with six reflector lights and a green strap were also found, the statement said, adding that a search operation was underway in the area.
BSF Director General Pankaj Kumar Singh on Wednesday had said the force was alive to the threat of drones and that it had been working to counter it.
The BSF guards India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The total length of Punjab’s border with Pakistan is 553 kilometres. PTI

Press Trust of India