Use of drones banned in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar

Ground Report | New Delhi: Use of drones banned; The Jammu and Kashmir administration has banned the storage, sale, possession, use, and transportation of drones and similar unmanned aerial vehicles in the Srinagar district.

Use of drones banned

Srinagar District Magistrate Mohammad Aijaz has said that in order to secure the airspace near important installations and highly populated areas, it is imperative to stop the use of drones in all social and cultural gatherings so that there is no loss of life and property. risk can also be eliminated. Property.

The order PC, issued under Section 144 of CrPC, reads that in view of the recent episodes of misuse of drones posing a threat to the security infrastructure, reported by the media and other credible sources, the access to decentralized airspace should be regulated. To be done.

"The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has provided draft guidelines/standard operating protocols to regulate the use of drones in terms of weight classification, unique identification number, height/altitude restriction, speed restriction, enforcement/panel action etc."

"Keeping in view the security situation, besides concerns of breach of privacy, nuisance and trespass, it is extremely dangerous for unmanned aerial vehicles to move in the skies within the territorial jurisdiction of district Srinagar," the order said.

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The order further states that persons who already have drone cameras/unmanned aerial vehicles of similar type, shall have to report the same to the local police station under proper receipt.

"Furthermore, government departments using drones for mapping, surveying and monitoring in the area of ​​agriculture, environmental protection and disaster mitigation shall inform the local police station before undertaking any such activity in the public interest," it reads.

The order stated that any contravention of this order would attract necessary penal action under the relevant laws.

DC Srinagar has also asked the Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar to ensure the implementation of this order in letter and spirit.

Use of drones banned (Pak-India border)

In June last year, the BSF shot down a drone allegedly coming from across the border in Kathua. When the drone was shot down, a semi-automatic carbine, ammunition and a grenade were recovered from it. The drone weighed about 18 kg and was flying with a weight of 5-6 kg. According to security agencies, most of the drones were made in China.

In response to a question in the Lok Sabha on the threat of drone strikes in September last year, the Home Ministry had said that "necessary instructions have been issued to deal with the threat of drone strikes in the country." The same question was asked last March. In response to another question, the government said it had "issued a standard procedure (SOP) to prevent drone strikes on key security installations." (Use of drones banned).

Involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Muhammad

In Srinagar, meanwhile, Lt. Gen. DP Pandey told a media channel that "there are indications of a state role behind the drone strikes and the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Muhammad."

However, India's defense and security circles are concerned about the potential dangers of drone strikes. Emphasis is being placed on the strategy of breaking it and using digital machinery. In this regard, a high-level meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and consideration was given to providing digital technology to security agencies.

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Most of Pakistan's defence and public circles expressed concern and interpreted the Jammu attacks as another conspiracy. Some believe that India is justifying a second Balakot-style attack.

Pakistan's foreign office has dismissed allegations of Pakistan's role in the drone strike as "irresponsible". "Pakistan categorically rejects the misleading and irresponsible statement of Indian Home Minister Kishan Reddy regarding the alleged drone strike in Jammu and Kashmir," the Foreign Office spokesman said.

Drones also seen in Jammu

After two blast incidents at Air Force Station in Jammu at around 2 pm on Sunday night, the Indian Army had issued a statement saying that it has recorded the movements of two drones on the intervening night of 27 and 28 June.

Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand had issued a statement that the Indian Army recorded this activity in Ratnuchak-Kaluchak Military Area and after this the security forces were warned.

Immediately after the high alert was announced, the Quick Reaction Team opened fire. The army has told that after the firing, both the drones flew away and being alert, the security forces foiled the major threat.

At the same time, two explosions took place in the Air Force Station of Jammu late Sunday night. DGP Dilbag Singh had described both the blasts as 'terrorist attacks'.

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