Drone Found Flying Over Puri Srimandir, One Arrested

Puri: A drone was found flying over the restricted airspace of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri. Police have arrested a person in this connection.

The incident came to light on Wednesday afternoon after a drone was spotted hovering over the temple. Prateek Singh, Puri Superintendent of Police, immediately directed the Singhadwar police station to take action. A special police team launched an operation and seized the drone from Jahnimundia Chhak.

Accused Identified and Arrested

The Singhadwar police arrested 25-year-old Madhusudan Sadangi of the Kazidih area in Cuttack in connection with the incident. Police said the accused had come to Puri to attend a wedding ceremony and flew the drone over the temple area during his visit.

No Flying Zone Declared Around Temple

The Shree Jagannath Temple falls under a strictly prohibited zone where drone operations are completely banned. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has clearly marked the temple and its surrounding areas as a no-fly zone on its official map.

Repeated Violations Raise Security Concerns

This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. In the past, drones have been spotted flying over the temple and nearby areas, with videos being recorded illegally. Police officials said the absence of anti-drone technology has led to repeated violations.

Call for Public Cooperation

SP Prateek Singh appealed to individuals and organisations to strictly avoid flying drones over the temple and nearby areas. He also said that the state government has been informed about the need for advanced technical support and equipment to strengthen the security of the Srimandir.