Ganderbal Police Nab Accused Flying Drone In No-Fly Zone

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir police have apprehended two youths from Srinagar after a probe into the unauthorised movement of a drone during the Amarnath Yatra earlier this year revealed a serious security breach.

Officials said the incident occurred when a drone was illegally flown over a restricted zone along the pilgrimage route, which had been declared a strict “No Drone Zone” under Union Home Ministry guidelines.

Ganderbal Police brought down the drone using soft-kill methods to avert any potential threat to the safety of the yatris.

A case was registered at the Gund police station of Ganderbal district in central Kashmir, immediately after the incident and a detailed investigation was launched.

“The entire route was notified as a no-flying zone. Any violation is treated as a grave security concern, especially during the yatra,” a police officer said.

Technical experts conducted a forensic examination of the seized drone to retrieve operational data and trace its handlers.

“Based on the report, police identified the accused, Owais Muneer Khan and Farooz Ahmad Nengroo, both residents of Srinagar. They have been apprehended, produced before the court and charge-sheeted in the case,” he added.

Senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the breach highlighted the growing challenge of monitoring drone activity in sensitive areas.

“Even a small device can pose a major risk in such high-security zones. That is why strict enforcement of no-flying rules is essential,” a police officer added.

Amarnath Yatra, dedicated to Lord Shiva, witnessed over 4.10 lakh pilgrims paying obeisance at the cave shrine this year, despite initial fears triggered by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

The attack had sparked cancellations of bookings and raised concerns about the safety of the pilgrimage, leading to a significant drop in registrations compared to the previous year.

However, the situation stabilised ahead of the yatra as authorities implemented robust security measures. A good number of yatris eventually undertook the pilgrimage without fear, with elaborate arrangements made by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the Jammu and Kashmir administration. Civil and police authorities worked in tandem to ensure a hassle-free and incident-free yatra.