Drone hovers over Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar; raises concern

A drone was spotted over Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar on Monday, raising security concerns. Despite DGP prohibitions, the operator and purpose remain unknown. This follows a similar January 28 breach at 12th Century Jagannath temple in Puri town.

Drone hovers over Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar; raises concern

Drone spotted in the close vicinity of Lingaraj Temple

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A drone was spotted while flying over Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar on Monday, triggering concerns. Despite clear prohibitions set by the Director General of Police (DGP), the drone was surprisingly seen between 5.15 PM and 5.30 PM, which has raised concerns.

Also Read: Drone spotted over Puri Jagannath temple again, spurs security concerns

Temple authorities swiftly informed the police once the drone was noticed. As of now, the operator's identity and the purpose of the drone flight remain unknown. The temple officials and local police are striving to accumulate further information.

No comments were received from the local police in this regard.

Previous security breaches in Odisha

Worth mentioning, a security breach had prompted a police investigation after a drone was observed flying over restricted zones of Jagannath temple on January 28. The drone, seen hovering near Neelachakra and along surrounding pathways, remained in the vicinity for around 25 minutes, thereby raising security concerns.

This marked the second such incident in nearly three weeks, following a similar occurrence on January 5. These repeated breaches had sparked worries over the efficacy of security protocols in place at the 12th-century Vaishnavite shrine, which holds significant cultural and religious importance for millions of devotees across India.

Drone operations are subject to stringent regulations to ensure safety and security. These rules are enforced by both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and local authorities. Flying of drones sans valid authorisation is a punishable offense.

However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and DGCA had earlier granted a conditional exemption in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021, to facilitate aerial survey and photogrammetry of the centrally protected monuments in Bhubaneswar.

Must Read: Drones allowed for aerial survey, photogrammetry of Lingaraj and Raja-Rani temples

The exemption was then accorded only to the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, which was supposed to carry out survey in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) using drones.

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