Police ban drones, para-gliders ahead of Independence Day

NEWDELHI: Any aerial activity that could threaten the safety of dignitaries and vital installations in the city ahead of the Independence Day has been banned by the Delhi Police.

In an order issued on Tuesday, Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik said the ban will be effective for 22 days, beginning Wednesday.

A senior Delhi police officer said that there is no specific alert about a terror attack and that the order is issued every year ahead of the Independence Day and Republic Day. “This is not a cause for alarm but people must know that any violation will certainly result in punishment. Even the format of the order is the same every year,” said a police officer.

The order cited potential threats by “certain criminals, anti-social elements or terrorists” to the safety of people, visiting dignitaries or important establishments by using “aerial platforms”. The aerial platform banned by the police include para-gliders, para-motors, hanggliders, unmanned aerial vehicles, micro light aircrafts, remotely piloted aircrafts, hot air balloons, quadcopters or even para-jumping from aircrafts.

The ban is effective across Delhi and anyone caught violating the order would be booked under Indian Penal Code section 188 which pertains to disobedience of an order by a public servant. Offenders could be punished with a month in jail, a penalty of ₹200, or both.

The city is on high alert ahead of the Independence Day celebrations but police said there is no cause for panic over the warnings of aerial attacks mentioned in the order. “There is enough security in the city,” another police officer said.

Intelligence agencies frequently receive inputs about the possibility of terrorists using aerial mechanisms to attack the city, particularly during the festive occasions, forcing the authorities to put Delhi on the high alert.