New Delhi: Security forces have launched a major cordon and search operation in the forested Sumb area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district after a suspected foreign origin satellite communication signal was detected, triggering a heightened security alert.
The signal, reportedly linked to an Iridium satellite communication device, was detected around 11:15 am in the Samba sector. Shortly afterwards, Army personnel, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Special Operations Group moved into the area and surrounded the hilly terrain, which is covered by dense forests.
The signal disappeared after the initial detection, and no subsequent transmission has been picked up. Security forces have nevertheless continued searching the area to determine who may have been operating the device.
Drones have been deployed to conduct aerial surveillance of the surrounding forests and hillocks. Security has also been increased along roads and routes leading to Sumb, a strategically sensitive location situated near the Basantar River and providing access towards the International Border with Pakistan.
The operation involves personnel from multiple security agencies and is being supervised by local police officers along with Army units.
Despite several hours of searching, security personnel have not recovered a satellite phone or any suspicious material from the area. Investigators are examining different possibilities, including whether the signal could be connected to an individual receiving instructions from across the border.
Iridium satellite communication devices are also legitimately used by Indian security forces because they provide communication in remote and mountainous locations where conventional networks may not work.
However, agencies have not ruled out the possibility of the device being associated with a terrorist operative, an over ground worker or a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative.
Security officials are also examining whether a device could have been switched off after communication was established, potentially making it harder to track the user’s movements.
Samba remains strategically important because of its proximity to the International Border and its history as an infiltration corridor. A similar alert was triggered in January 2024 after a Thuraya satellite phone signal was detected in the region.
The latest search operation remains underway as security forces continue combing the forest and hilly terrain.
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