Bandipora, 7 July: After Srinagar, Baramulla, Ramban, Samba and Rajouri, authorities in north Kashmir’s Bandipora also banned drones in the district in view of recent drone attacks on Air Force Station Jammu.
In an order issued to this effect, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad while invoking section 144 of CrPc imposed ban on the storage, sale/possession, use and transport of drones/ similar kinds of unnamed aerial vehicles in the district.
Besides the security situation, the DC Bandipora also cited “concerns of breach of privacy, nuisance and trespass” for the ban saying “it is extremely dangerous to let unnamed aerial vehicles to wander around the skies within the territorial jurisdiction of Bandipora.”
The government departments requiring the drones in mapping, survey and surveillance in agriculture, environmental conservation and disaster mitigation sector have been directed to inform local police station before undertaking any such activity in the public interest.
As for the persons already having drone cameras, a similar kind of aerial vehicle in their possession, they have been asked to ground the same in the local police station under proper receipt.
The violation of the order invites “punitive action as warranted under the law, ” the order said.