Daijiworld Media Network - Agartala
Agartala, Aug 2: A Chinese-manufactured drone discovered near the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura has sparked a joint investigation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Tripura Police, officials said on Saturday.
The drone, weighing approximately 915 grams and fitted with two high-resolution cameras, was found in a paddy field near the Durgabari Border Outpost by a local boy on Friday. Unaware of the potential implications, the boy reportedly cleaned the drone with water and took it home before his family alerted the police.
The site where the drone was discovered is just 650 metres from the India-Bangladesh border, a sensitive stretch regularly monitored by security forces due to ongoing cross-border concerns.
Following the alert, Tripura Police took custody of the drone and sent it to the state government's Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for preliminary examination. A BSF official confirmed that after forensic analysis is complete, the drone will be handed over to the BSF headquarters in Delhi for a comprehensive technical and intelligence assessment.
A BSF-police coordination meeting held on Friday discussed the chain of custody and further investigation steps. Authorities are yet to determine the drone's origin, purpose, or flight path, pending deeper analysis.
This incident comes at a time of heightened vigilance along the India-Bangladesh border, especially in Tripura, which shares an 856-kilometre border with Bangladesh. Security measures have been intensified in the region following political unrest in Bangladesh since mid-2024, particularly after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
Most of Tripura's international boundary has been fenced, yet sporadic vulnerabilities persist, leading to ongoing challenges such as smuggling, illegal migration, and cross-border criminal activity.
BSF officials have reiterated their commitment to maintaining strict surveillance along the border and ensuring that any breach — technological or otherwise — is swiftly addressed through coordinated efforts.