Drone hovering over forest area seized, one held in Rajouri

JAMMU, July 9: The Jammu and Kashmir police has seized a videography-capable drone which was found hovering over a forest at Potha near Kesar Gaala, Kalakote of Rajouri district and also apprehended one person in this regard who is being questioned.
Police said, “On Friday, a reliable information was received at P/S Kalakote regarding a drone – like object that was flying at Potha near Kesar Gaala, Kalakote at around 6.30pm and it flew towards Forest area due to which a panic was created in the area.”
“Keeping the present security scenario and ongoing Amarnath yatra into consideration and acting very swiftly, police teams of PS Kalakote led by Insp Deepak Pathania and Army’s Rashtriya Rifles (RR) by their senior officer started a massive hunt,” police said.
“It came to fore that a marriage party of son of Kulwant Singh son of Babu Ram of Swari-Koteranka of Rajouri district was going from Swari to Daali (Kalakote) and passing through Potha, videographer namely Rahul Sharma son of Sudesh Sharma of Lower Paloura, Jammu accompanying the baarat flew drone there for taking shots and then moved on.” Police said that a team was deputed which after travelling on foot for around two hours apprehended the erring videographer and seized drone.
A case FIR no 61/22 U/S 188/IPC has been registered at P/S Kalakote.
Here it needs to mention that District Magistrate (DM) Rajouri has banned flying of drones in Distt. Rajouri in June, 2021 after two low-intensity explosions that left two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel injured at the Jammu Air Force Station on June 27, 2021 and the devices are suspected to have been dropped and detonated by unmanned aerial vehicles/drones.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajouri Poonch Dr Haseeb Mughal said the drone has been seized.
He said such a use of quadcopter or any other videographic or photography device is prohibited especially near vital and security establishments by an order by the then DM in 2021.
“People should refrain from such acts as it will entail action as per law,” DIG Dr Mughal said, adding, “for social/academic purpose one should seek prior permission from respective District Magistrates (DMs) to avoid unnecessary law and order issues.”