Drones help cops nab 20 curfew violators in city

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 4

Within 24 hours after unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were pressed into service for enhancing surveillance in the areas under the jurisdiction of the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police, 20 persons have been held for violating curfew norms.

Divulging the details, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar on Saturday said an ultra-modern technology was being used for keeping an eye over the hotspots and vulnerable areas of the district. During the UAV surveillance, the police had identified some people violating the curfew norms. Subsequently, 12 FIRs were lodged against 20 persons who were later arrested for flouting the norms.

Bhullar said following the interception by the UAVs, the accused were identified as Mahavir Gupta of Maqsoodan; Mithlesh Tangri of Toor Enclave; Akhilesh Kumar of New Guru Nanak Nagar; Vinod Kumar Shiv Nagar; Gurdial Singh Kot Baba Deep Singh Nagar; Mangal Singh Kot Baba Deep Singh Nagar; Mani Basti Gujan; Dev Rao Sidaarth Nagar; Raj Bahadur Bank Colony; Dharminder Singh Khurla Kingra; Sunny Singh Folriwal village; Stephen Folriwal village; Birbal Sofi Pind; Ashish, Chandan, Vijay Kumar and Rajnish Tiwari of New Defence Colony; Sarabjit Singh of Lasuri Mohalla; Harpreet Singh Padhiana village; and Davinder Singh of New Dashmesh Nagar.

Meanwhile, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and the Commissioner of Police, who examined the working of UAVs at Model Town market, briefed that the move was aimed at ensuring strict compliance of the curfew. They said the curfew had been imposed for the betterment of people so that the Covid-19 virus could be stopped from spreading its tentacles.

Bhullar said UAVs could cover an area of 2 km in all directions and could fly up to a height of 200 m.