The Srinagar district administration on Saturday banned the use and possession of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles, ANI reported.
The administration issued the order a week after two explosions at an airbase in Jammu, in which two Indian Air Force personnel were injured. The police suspect that drones were used to drop the explosives, but the Indian Air Force has not confirmed this.
Srinagar District Magistrate Mohammad Aijaz said that in view of the security situation, it was extremely dangerous to let unmanned aerial devices fly around in the sky.
“To secure the aerial space near the vital installations and highly populated areas, it is imperative to discontinue the use of drones in all social and cultural gatherings to eliminate any risk of injury to the life and damage to property,” he added in the order, according to The Hindu.
The Srinagar administration directed those who own drones to deposit them at their local police stations.
“Moreover, the government departments using drones for mapping, surveys and surveillance in agricultural, environment conservation and disaster mitigation sector shall inform the local police station before undertaking any such activity in the public interest,” the order added.
The administration warned that action would be taken against those who violate the order.
Another district in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri had also banned the sale or possession of drones and flying objects on June 30.
On June 28, the Indian Army claimed that two separate “drone activities” were spotted over the Ratnuchak-Kaluchak military area in Jammu at midnight.
On Thursday, Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane said that the easy availability of drones had made security challenges more complex, adding that India was preparing to counter the threats.
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