India probing whether drones were used in Jammu air force base blast

dpa Srinagar/New Delhi Indian investigators are probing whether two blasts at a high-security air force base in Jammu and Kashmir were caused by improvis...

dpa Srinagar/New Delhi Indian investigators are probing whether two blasts at a high-security air force base in Jammu and Kashmir were caused by improvised explosive devices dropped by drones, police said on Sunday.The low-intensity explosions took place shortly after midnight in the technical area of Jammu Air Force station, a spokesman for the Indian Air Force said. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building, while the other exploded in an open area and injured two people. There was no damage to any equipment.The Jammu airbase is about 14 kilometres from the international border with Pakistan. It is not yet clear from where the drones took off.Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh told reporters that low-flying drones with payloads were most likely used in the two blasts. Singh described the incident as a terrorist attack.If confirmed, this would be the first time drones have been used in an attack in India.There have been several reports of drones dropping narcotics, arms and ammunition near the border over the past eight to nine months, the NDTV news channel reported.The National Investigation Agency, which probes terrorist incidents, had joined investigations with the police and air force, a police spokesman said.India has seen a violent secessionist movement in the Jammu and Kashmir region for decades, in which more than 45,000 people - militants, security forces personnel and civilians have died. The disputed region is split into two parts, one administered by India and the other by Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of sheltering and aiding Kashmiri militants. Islamabad denies the charge and says they are freedom fighters. The nuclear-capable South Asian neighbours, who have fought two wars over Kashmir, this year agreed to strictly observe from February 25 a 2003 ceasefire pact that has often been violated in the past.