Chandigarh, May 10 -- Amid escalating tensions, the Punjab cabinet on Friday gave a nod for the purchase of anti-drone systems at a cost of Rs.51.41 crore to check the smuggling of weapons and drugs via drones from across the border.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the council of ministers chaired by chief minister Bhagwant Mann here. Mann, who addressed a press conference after the meeting, said that nine anti-drone systems would be deployed along the 532-km border with Pakistan, from Pathankot to Abohar. "The BSF has already got some anti-drone systems," said the chief minister, who did not take questions.

A spokesperson of the chief minister's office later said that these systems would help in checking the smuggli...