Probe begins into recovery of radio transmitter along Chinese border

SHIMLA: Security agencies have begun a probe into the recovery of a Chinese-make solar battery backed radio-transmitter and an antenna hanging over a tree in Kinnaur district bordering China.

The remote village, where the transmitter was recovered, is about 100km from Chinese border but the distance as the crow flies is just 10km , Himachal Pradesh DGP I.D. Bhandari said.

Bhandari said investigations have been started by the state police and ITBP teams to locate the source of the sensitive device which is operated by a solar battery. Some of the parts of the device are Chinese made.

The police have taken the radio transmitter set and the antenna into possession for investigations after it was spotted by some villagers who informed the forest department officials.

The investigating agencies also did not rule out the possibility of the set being left behind by some mountaineers who had camped in the forest for some days and are also trying to find out whether the set was implanted by a hydropower company working at the site.

The recovery of the object has sparked concern among the security agencies which suspect that it may have been used for recording of certain messages of the army and ITBP deployed at the international border.

Only a few months ago, there were reports about Chinese helicopters intruding into Indian territory in Kinnaur area.

Bhandari said the matter will be investigated in detail and efforts will be made to get the gadget checked by experts about its sources and use in the sensitive border area.