Explosives and weapons smuggled from Pakistan recovered in Rajasthan, 2 arrested

Security agencies have recovered 7.7 kg of plastic explosives, two pistols and 600 cartridges from a suspected drone-dropped consignment near the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district. Two men from Punjab have been arrested in connection with the seizure, officials said.The recovery was made from a field in the 12 KND area near Rawla, where three packets containing explosives and weapons were allegedly dropped by a drone from Pakistan.The seized consignment included two pistols, 600 cartridges, four magazines, a remote control, two devices described locally as “Kepler” and four batteries, in addition to the plastic explosives.EXPLOSIVES PACKED IN IED FORMInvestigators found that the consignment also contained black RDX in an improvised explosive device (IED) configuration, according to the information available. The device could reportedly be activated by connecting a wire, raising concerns about the potential threat posed by the explosives. A special bomb disposal squad has been called from Jaipur to handle the explosives. The material will be defused after the team arrives, officials said.TWO PUNJAB RESIDENTS ARRESTEDThe arrested men have been identified as Lakhwinder Singh and Sukhwinder Singh, both residents of Punjab. They were allegedly staying in Rawla Mandi while posing as labourers and had arrived to collect the packets dropped near the border. Investigators are also searching for two men who allegedly brought the suspects to Rawla on a motorcycle before they went to collect the consignment.One of the arrested men is suspected to have been involved in a grenade blast in Punjab, according to the preliminary information. Further details about the alleged incident and the role of the two men were not immediately available.RAJASTHAN ANTF TRACKED THE CASE FOR A MONTHThe Rajasthan Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), led by Inspector General Vikas Kumar’s team, carried out the operation after working on the case for nearly a month.The recovery has brought renewed attention to the suspected use of drones to transport weapons and explosives across the India-Pakistan border. Further investigation is underway to establish the consignment’s origin, identify those behind the alleged cross-border smuggling operation and determine the intended use of the seized material.- Ends