Jammu, Aug 4: Security forces on Tuesday launched a search operation after spotting a Pakistani drone hovering over forward villages along the International Border in Kathua district.

According to officials, police, assisted by the Rashtriya Rifles, also carried out extensive searches across dozens of remote villages in Poonch district following inputs about the suspected movement of two groups of terrorists.
“A Pakistani drone intruded into Indian territory and was seen hovering over the forward villages of Shukhmal, Devindera and Tapan in the Bobiyan area of Kathua's Hiranagar sector around 2 pm,” they said.
The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel initiated countermeasures to bring down the drone, but the flying object, which was at a high altitude, managed to return across the border.
The BSF, along with the police, later conducted a thorough search of the area to ensure that the drone had not carried out any airdropping, officials said, adding the operation was continuing when last reports were received.
In border district of Poonch, J&K police assisted by troops of the Rashtriya Rifles, launched a cordon-and-search operation in dozens of villages including Dhara Sangla, Gujjar Naar and Kherowali Dhok in Surankote tehsil.
The operation was launched following reports suggesting the movement of two separate groups of suspected terrorists in the densely forested region, officials said.
“No contact had been established with the suspected terrorists so far,” they said, adding the operation was continuing, with security personnel carrying out systematic searches to trace the suspects.
The officials said the police and Rashtriya Rifles also conducted searches at Kalaban and adjoining areas in Mendhar tehsil today but no one was taken into custody.