Three held for flying drone in prohibited zone during PM's rally in Ahmedabad

The Ahmedabad district police on Thursday arrested three youths for flying drones in "no drone flying zone" imposed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to address an election rally in Bavla. Police said that the drone was found flying in the prohibited zone while the speech of PM Modi was on.

Police said that at 4:30 pm, during Modi's rally, a police constable of Local Crime Branch, Ahmedabad Rural police, found some persons operating a micro-drone from the main road near the election gathering. Local sources said that the sight of a flying drone sent the security agencies into a frenzy. Local policemen, Special Protection Group (SPG) and other security agencies quickly swung into action and apprehended three youths.

"On apprehending the operators of the drone and asking them to take down the drone, the three persons complied and took down the drone. The BDDS (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads) team immediately checked the drone and confirmed that the drone is only for filming and had an operating camera. It did not have any explosive or any other harmful object. No prohibited item has been found with the accused and they were outside the perimeter wall of the Sabha (rally) when they were operating the drone," Ahmedabad district police said in a press note.

The arrested youths have been identified as Nikul Rameshbhai Parmar, 24, Rakesh Kalubhai Bharvad, 35, and Rajeshkumar Mangilal Prajapati, 20, all residents of Odhav in Ahmedabad. They have been booked under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code for defying lawfully promulgated order of public servant. Police said that the entire area of two kilometers near the rally had been notified as “no drone flying zone” by Additional District Magistrate Ahmedabad.

The accused are said to have told the policemen that they were doing "general photography and did not know that drones were prohibited in the area." Police said that the accused had no previous police records or criminal history.

"They are not associated with any political party or organisation. Prima facie the persons do not seem to have intended to use the drone for any harm," stated a press note issued by the local police.