High-tech aircraft seized from ultras

He claimed that confidential reports had indicated that the militants were planning to smuggle in some modules which could be homed onto high security and inaccessible areas with the remote devices.

Based on this input, the district police under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General, Rajouri range, K Rajinder Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police, Hemant Lohia conducted series of search operations in Kothian, Darnee, Chitha Derri, Narsingh Pura, Broh, Sadha and Kanthanareas of Rajouri, he added.

The DGP said that during the week-long searches, about a dozen suspects were picked by the police out of which one of the suspects broke down and led the police to an arms dump. He said it took the police more than four hours to reach the dump which was in a thick inaccessible forest area. Huge cache of arms and ammunition were seized which included the two pilot-less aircraft.

8220;The two aircraft have in-built cavities which could be filled with explosives and have got powerful engines which can take the object about 500 to 600 ft high and gain a speed of about 200 km per hour,8221; Jagat disclosed. The fuel tank attached to the object can store about 600 ml of aviation fuel which can run the object for about two hours at one go.

The DGP further said the aim behind inducting the gadgets in militancy was to hit the targets without actually reaching them. 8220;In the past they have used heavy mortar shells to effect large number of casualties but by bringing in this equipment, theISI wants to give a new high-tech dimension to militancy,8221; Jagat said.

He said the militants were trying to step up their activity in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri and other districts of Jammu province to enlarge the ambit of militant activity in the State. 8220;The ISI has started induction of regular Pakistan Army soldiers in the militant ranks to give boost to militancy,8221; he said. Citing an instance, he said a Pakistan serving soldier, Abu Rehman of Bhimber district of Pakistan occupied Kashmir PoK was killed in an encounter with the police at Tringa Arnas last month.

Giving details about the militancy-related incidents, the DGP said that during the current year, 243 militant including mercenaries were killed. Jagat claimed that the increase in the number of militancy-related incidents was due to spate in the number of encounters and seizure of arms and ammunition. Jagat said the search operation in the area was on to ascertain whether more aircraft had been sneaked in.

In aseparate development, Pakistani agents with radio sets placed in Tangdhar or local militants at the Pakistani gun positions are suspected to have directed the artillery fire onto Tangdhar on Monday leading to the worst-ever damage.

SSP, Kupwara, Man Mohan Singh, who visited the ravaged Tangdhar town told The Indian Express that the 8220;unprecedented accuracy of the Pakistani artillery fire had given rise to the suspicion that an insider had betrayed the exact locations on the Indian side to the Pakistani guns.8221;

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah announced that bunkers would be built for the protection of the people from the Pakistani fire.