Drone flying over central Delhi sends cops into tizzy

PTI, Sep 9, 2023, 5:44 PM IST

image for representation

A drone over central Delhi while world leaders arrived for the G20 Summit.

Police personnel scrambled and reached the spot – only to find that a photographer was using one to capture to best effect a birthday party.

The drama unfolded on Friday evening, when the city went into virtual lockdown ahead of the summit.

A control room detected that a drone was being flown in the central Delhi’s Patel Nagar area. It alerted the police and a team was rushed to the spot, a senior police official said on Saturday.

After reaching the spot, it was found that a birthday party was going on there and a photographer was using the drone to film the celebration, the officer said.

A case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered in the matter, police said.

The Delhi Police had prohibited flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms like paragliders, hang-gliders and hot air balloons in Delhi from August 29 to September 12 for security reasons.

The national capital, especially New Delhi district, has been put under a security blanket as heads of state from across the world have arrived in the city to attend the two-day G20 Summit.

The Delhi Police is being assisted by over 50,000 security personnel, K9 dog squads, mounted police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).