The police in Tiruppur began using a drone on Monday to monitor the COVID-19 containment zones better.
Tiruppur North Police Inspector V. Ganesan said the drone cost ₹2.5 lakh and was sponsored by a private organisation. The drone would be used to surveil three containment zones in his jurisdiction. Drone surveillance would also be done on the streets to check for violations of the prohibitory orders, he said.
A senior police officer with the Tiruppur City Police said that all police stations in the city had been asked to equip themselves with drones, particularly to monitor the containment zones. Police stations in the North Range would be covered first, he said. However, there was shortage of drones and related equipment owing to demand, the officer added. The drones can be operated from a distance of three kilometres and two experts will act as drone operators. These will be used in monitoring specific locations prone to gathering of large crowds, such as the old and new bus stands that now house the vegetable markets.