Two explosions, within a gap of five minutes, rocked the technical area of Jammu airport in the early hours of Sunday. It is suspected to be the first drone attack on any defence establishment in India.
Delhi (Web News )
Two explosions rocked the high security technical area of Indian Air Force (IAF) Station Jammu on the intervening night of June 26-27. According to sources, it is suspected that low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED). This is probably the first drone attack on any defence establishment in the country. An IAF patrol team saw the ammunition being dropped, sources said. India Today reported.
Confirming the incidents of blast, the Indian Air Force tweeted: “Two low intensity explosions were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies.”
Meanwhile, it is suspected that drones were used to drop IEDs in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station to trigger the blast. However, these drones were not detected by the radar.
Top sources in the security establishment told India Today, “A drone seems to have been used to drop IEDs. This was not on the periphery but near the helipad area.” The possible target of the attacks was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area, they said.
In the past as well, drones were used to drop weapons but couldn’t be detected by the radar.
Sources told India Today that the NSG’s Bomb Data Team and an NIA team are on their way to the Air Force Station to investigate the matter.
The India-Pakistan border is 14 km from the Air Force Station and on previous occasions, weapons have been dropped as far as 12 km inside Indian territory using drones.