NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh border has deployed drones to check crimes, including illegal crossing and cattle-smuggling. The security force, in a statement issued on Thursday, said that BSP personnel had an encounter with cattle smugglers on Wednesday, owing to the drones.
“On November 15, 2023, acting on tip-off, we deployed a drone and kept a close watch on all areas suspected of cattle smuggling along the Oran border outpost of BSF Battalion 6 under the Jalpaiguri sector of North Bengal Frontier in Coochbehar district of West Bengal,” said a BSF statement.
“At about 5.10 pm, the drone captured the movements of 6-7 smugglers approaching the International Boundary with 7 cattle, near Dahagram Angrapota main pilar 4/11-S,” the BSF statement said. Accordingly, the patrolling party of Oran border outpost was alerted. When the cattle smugglers came close, the BSF party tried to apprehend them.
However, taking advantage of the darkness, fog, the undulating terrain and riverine channels, the smugglers made an escape. The BSF team combed the area and at about 8.05 pm, seized the cattle that were stranded.
“Deploying drones is latest among the changes adopted by the forces to effectively counter the innovative methods used by smugglers. The Force is considering other changes to strengthen the border outposts,” said a source.
In a similar incident, on September 28 this year, troops from the Oran border outpost of BSF Battalion 6 had seized 4 cattle with the help of a drone with night vision capability.