- Villagers in Raebareli report drones flying at night, raising fears of theft
- Police say no evidence links drones to criminals and dismiss reports as "rumours"
- Drone operations in Raebareli are tightly regulated with a dedicated oversight committee, police said
Picture this: It's pitch black in the remote hamlets of Raebareli. The kind of rural stretch where crickets are the loudest thing you'll hear after sunset. But for the last three nights, that's all changed. As soon as the stars come out, eerie little lights start floating overhead - drones, slicing through the night sky. And the villagers? They have not been able to sleep a wink.
In the villages of Jagatpur, including Harpur Halla, Bindaganj, Parahari, Umri, Pari, Pure Kaithan, and Daulatpur, residents are convinced that thieves use these drones to watch over their homes before committing crimes.
Villagers claim to have even filmed the drones, but allege that the police are brushing off the matter as a mere "rumour." The police, on the other hand, have said there is no evidence of these drones being used by criminals.
Similar rumours have surfaced in parts of western Uttar Pradesh as well.
One villager, Buddhiman Singh from Harpur Halla, filed a formal complaint accusing a local resident of using drones to conduct a recce before carrying out thefts. Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
Additional SP Sanjeev Kumar Sinha of Raebareli said drone operations are tightly regulated. "No one can fly such drones like this. There is a drone operations committee, and if a government survey is underway, advance information is given."
Referring to an incident in a village called Unchahar, Mr Sinha said they got complaints about drones, but they had disappeared before the police arrived. He added that an investigation is underway, with the police's 112 emergency unit also involved.
After earlier similar complaints from other parts of UP, the matter was reviewed in a high-level law and order meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in August. He had issued a stern warning against those spreading rumours or flying drones without authorisation.
"Those creating fear using drones - or spreading misinformation - will be charged under the Gangster Act," news agency PTI had quoted the Chief Minister as saying. Provisions under the NSA could also be invoked if necessary, he had warned.
According to police, the roots of this hysteria lie in Amroha, where bizarre rumours began circulating in early June about an underwear-clad, oil-smeared gang of thieves using drones to survey homes before burglaries. Though the story appeared implausible, it spread rapidly.
(With inputs from Faiz Abbas)
