Revival plot in motion: ISI deploys smugglers, drones, and gangsters to reignite Khalistan

New Delhi, Oct 14 (IANS) Post Operation Sindoor, there was a short lull in smuggling activities from Pakistan, where drones were used to drop off arms and ammunition along with narcotics, but security agencies have now warned that the number of drone sightings has again gone up, especially along the international border with Punjab. 

The drones from Pakistan are trying to send in AK-47s and narcotics, with these activities are aimed at reviving the Khalistan movement in Punjab.

The reset in ties between India and Canada has dealt a major blow to the Khalistan movement. While Canada has started to tackle the Khalistan elements on its soil, the ISI is getting desperate and hence wants to ramp up activities in Punjab.

The Intelligence agencies have sounded a very high alert for Punjab and the neighbouring states as the Khalistan elements are trying to regroup.

While on one hand, the number of drone sightings has gone up, on the other hand, the Khalistani elements are planning bomb blasts and fidayeen strikes.

The Punjab Police, who are on a state of very high alert, are regularly busting modules run by the Khalistan elements.

In addition to this, the police have carried out major anti-narcotic operations in Punjab. All the narcotics that come into Punjab are with the aim of raising funds for the Khalistan movement.

The increased drone sightings along the Punjab border are a clear indication of what is to come.

Pakistan-based Khalistan elements want to smuggle in as much arms and ammunition as possible and keep them ready for a big attack.

In the days to come, both the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Punjab Police would have their hands full as Khalistan-related activity is set to shoot up.

Further, Pakistan has also been deploying drones with modern technology. The aim is not just to deliver the contraband, but also to ensure that the drones are not detected or shot down.

The newer drones that have been spotted have a new technology which can detect tracking. Once the drone is tracked, it can avoid getting shot down as it moves back into Pakistan territory.

However, the alert forces on the Indian side have foiled most attempts that are being made by the smugglers to get the contraband into the country.

The new drones, which fly back as soon as it is detected, are a new challenge for the agencies to deal with. While the agencies manage to foil smuggling attempts through drones 8 out of 10 times, the newer technology is something that they would have to deal with.

This would mean that more Anti-Drone Systems (ADS) would have to be set up in order to have a 100 per cent success rate. The agencies are already working on setting up more ADS, as Intelligence reports clearly state that the ISI is already enhancing its capabilities so that the Khalistan movement is fully revived in Punjab.

Security agencies also say that a close watch would have to be kept on the gangsters in Punjab and the neighbouring states.

The Khalistan elements always use gangsters to carry out attacks in Punjab. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating the gangster-terror nexus case, has flagged several issues. The gangsters are paid huge sums of money by the ISI and Khalistani elements to carry out terror attacks in Punjab. The gangsters are also instrumental in recruitment and narcotic smuggling. They also bring in arms and ammunition for these Khalistani elements.

An NIA official said that the gangsters are the main persons behind trying to revive the Khalistan movement. They are not ideologically aligned to the movement, but are given huge sums of money to carry out the work for the Khalistanis.

Earlier, an Intelligence Bureau report had said that in the wake of the ties between India and Canada improving, the Khalistanis may try and move completely into the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently raised the Khalistan issue with his British counterpart, Keir Starmer.

The agencies say that if the menace is not controlled in the UK, then these elements would run the show from there.

However, the immediate worry for the Indian agencies is the ramping up of activity in Punjab.

--IANS

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