Srinagar bans use, sale, transport of drones

Srinagar: A week after a drone attack at an Air Force base in Jammu, authorities in Srinagar on Sunday banned the sale, possession and use of such unmanned aerial vehicles in the city.

Earlier, authorities in border districts of Rajouri and Kathua in the Jammu region had put curbs on the use of drones and other UAVs in the wake of the terror attack last Sunday.

Two explosives-laden drones had crashed into the Indian Air Force station at Jammu airport and there were other suspicious sightings of UAVs, triggering a security alert. In an order, deputy commissioner of Srinagar Mohammad Aijaz directed those having drone cameras or other similar kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles to deposit them in local police stations.

The order, however, exempted government departments using drones for mapping, surveys and surveillance in agricultural, environmental conservation and disaster mitigation sectors but directed them to inform the local police station before using them.

The administration cautioned that any violation of the guidelines will attract punitive action, and directed police to implement the restrictions in letter and spirit. The order to ban the use of drones came after the recommendations of the city's police chief.

The Central intelligence agencies are on high alert in Tamil Nadu and Kerala after the twin drone attack at Air force' technical airport in Jammu on June 27, damaging the airport and inflicting minor injuries to a couple of soldiers.

Central agencies, according to highly placed sources have tipped the police of both Tamil Nadu and Kerala to be alert and to be prepared for intrusions into the states with certain terror groups exploring the possibilities of using drones.

After the Chinese take over of Hambanthota port in Sri Lanka, the coast guard and Indian Navy intelligence has been on high alert over the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and in southern belts of Kerala.

While the security agencies were able to foil the drone attacks in the Jammu area, the cost of intercepting these drones is high and several states are ill-equipped with this technology.

Already defense establishment has opened discussions with the Israeli defense establishments for the supply of high-end drone interceptors as Israel is the global leader in this technology.