Suspected Pakistani drone drop foiled amid Republic Day security alert
January 10, 2026: Security forces recovered a cache of weapons from a forward area near the international border in Jammu’s Samba district on Saturday, amid heightened security ahead of Republic Day celebrations on January 26. Officials suspect the arms were dropped by a Pakistani drone. Acting on inputs about suspicious drone movement, a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a late-night search operation in Palura village of Ghagwal.
During the operation, the team reached the bank of a drain and recovered a packet wrapped in yellow tape. With the assistance of a bomb disposal squad, the package was opened, revealing two pistols, three magazines, 16 rounds of ammunition and one grenade, sources told ABP News. The recovery has raised fresh security concerns, especially as authorities remain on high alert to prevent any attempts to disturb national celebrations.
Security agencies noted that severe cold and dense fog prevailing across Jammu and other parts of north India are often exploited for infiltration attempts and drone-based weapon drops. Officials also pointed out that a similar incident was detected earlier this month, when another consignment of arms and ammunition dropped via drones into the Jammu region was recovered during a separate search operation.