BSF, Punjab Police seize arms, explosives from drone-dropped packets near Indo-Pak border

The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police recovered a major cache of arms, explosives and ammunition near the Indo-Pakistan international border in the Ajnala sector of Amritsar district on Friday. The seizure was made during a joint operation based on inputs from the BSF’s intelligence wing, covering areas including Sahowal, Balbe Dariya and Chak Bala villages under Ajnala police station limits.

According to officials, the recovery was made around 1 pm after a farmer spotted a yellow packet while harvesting wheat and informed the village defence committee. A joint team of BSF and police cordoned off the area and initiated a search. Two concealed packets were found, one about 50 metres from the other, in agricultural fields located approximately 3.5 kilometres from the international border.

The seized items include approximately 4.8 kilograms of explosives, suspected to be RDX, five hand grenades with six detonators, four pistols (including one of US make), eight magazines, 220 rounds of ammunition, two remote-controlled units, 14 batteries of various types, six fuse mechanisms, and IED-making circuits including two power circuits and a battery charger. Two separate packets contained the materials—one weighing about 7 kg, and the other around 6.5 kg.

A senior official stated, “One packet was weighing some 7 kilograms, it had three pistols of Baretta make, six magazines, 171 rounds of 9 MM pistol, five grenades.” He added that this packet also had two nine-volt battery mechanisms, 12 A batteries, six fuse mechanisms, two remote controls, and a battery charger. The second packet contained one pistol, two magazines, 49 rounds, and two packets of explosives weighing 2.5 kg each.

Amritsar (Rural) SSP Maninder Singh confirmed that the consignment was dropped using drones from across the border and that a case has been registered at the Ajnala police station. He stated that the investigation is ongoing. Officials added that forensic testing is underway to confirm the exact nature of the explosive material recovered.