Farmers’ stir: Haryana used drones guarding borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh
The paramilitary forces’ Tear-Smoke-Unit (TSU) deployed at Shambhu barrier on Haryana-Punjab border dropped multiple teargas shells from the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
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A drone drops teargas shells on farmers at the Shambhu border on Tuesday. (Gurmeet Singh)In a first of its kind action in any part of the country, the Haryana government Tuesday deployed drones to reach deep and drop teargas shells on farmers who tried to breach the barricades set up to stop them from marching to Delhi as part of a planned protest.
The paramilitary forces’ Tear-Smoke-Unit (TSU) deployed at Shambhu barrier on Haryana-Punjab border dropped multiple teargas shells from the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The Haryana government used the UAVs manufactured by Drone Imaging and Information Service of Haryana Limited (DRIISHYA), which are designed to guard international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, survey infrastructure projects, monitor agriculture and horticulture crops, to prevent agitating farmers from entering the state.
The drone-based tear smoke launcher also known as “Drone Tear Smoke Launcher” (DTSL) was introduced during the 42nd Governing Body meeting of the TSU of of the Border Security Force (BSF) in 2022. At that time, the device was projected as a potential force multiplier to enforce law and order. Even as protesters tried shooting down the drones by pelting stones, they said that UAV kept making multiple sorties and dropping tear gas shells till late evening.
Such drones can drop multiple grenades at a time compared to pump guns that are manually loaded. “The drones are capable of firing several munitions at one go and the launch is controlled by a remote,” an official said.
When asked, Haryana Police sources said that the drones were operated by the paramilitary forces. “The teargas firing gun has a specific range and a particular trajectory needs to be followed to avoid any physical injury to those protesting. But, the drones that air drop teargas shells can cover upto 400-500 meters range and even beyond, easily. Tear smoke shells are placed tightly in a metal cage fixed under a hexacopter drone. The drone system, operated remotely, then drops the tear shell from the air at the designated spot. This is why, these drones were used to disperse the crowd,” another official said, adding that the BSF use these drones to blind infiltrators and terrorists in the border areas during specific operations.
While the paramilitary forces formed the first line of defence at Shambhu border, the Haryana police formed the second line of defence in case protesting farmers were able to breach the multi-layer barricades. Patiala DC Showkat Ahmed Parray said, “I had told Amabal DC not to use drones to drop tear gas shells deep inside Punjab’s territory. He had even assured me it would be stopped.”
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