Bhubaneswar: A drone was spotted flying over the sacred Jagannath Temple for a prolonged period on Thursday morning, triggering serious questions about the security arrangements at the shrine just days before the annual Rath Yatra.
According to reports, the drone was seen hovering over the temple premises around 5:30 AM on Thursday. Upon receiving the information, Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh immediately formed a special team and directed Singhadwar Police Station to act swiftly. The police team successfully tracked and seized the drone from the Matimandap Sahi area.
The youth operating the drone was also apprehended by the police. The youth has been identified as Jayakrushna Mondal from Kolkata. He is currently being detained at Singhadwar Police Station for questioning.
Police said a detailed investigation is underway and legal action will be initiated as per the law.
This is the second reported drone sighting over the temple in recent times, raising fresh security concerns at one of India’s most protected religious sites, especially with the grand Rath Yatra festival approaching.
Further investigation is underway to determine the motive behind the drone operation.
