Drones to help keep vigil during festivals in Prayagraj

PRAYAGRAJ: Prayagraj range police have roped in drones for aerial surveillance ahead of festivals like Bakrid and Rakshabandhan. Apart from drones, special police teams have also been formed to keep an eye on social media and ensure a stern action against those found uploading inflammatory or derogatory posts or indulging in rumour-mongering.
Prayagraj range comprises four districts — Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh. Bakrid and Rakshabandhan will be celebrated on August 1 and 3 respectively.
Sleuths from Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) have also been pressed into service. They have been directed to compile inputs and crackdown on instances of rumour-mongering and circulation of fake news on social media.
IG (Prayagraj range) KP Singh said, “Apart from forming peace committees to ensure residents celebrate festivals peacefully, police are reaching out to religious heads of communities so as to convince people to celebrate at home in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak. No public gatherings will be allowed during the festivals.”
The IG said that the city would be divided into zones and sectors and adequate police force would be deployed in communally sensitive areas.
“Three drones would be used to keep an eye in sensitive areas. Police teams would be keeping vigil via videography and a special network of CCTV cameras too,” Singh said.
“Station house officers have been directed to take instances of petty issues among communities seriously and take required action accordingly,” he added.
The police department has also constituted ‘Morning Parties’ in thanas, who would go to localities and remove objectionable banners\ posters. “Thanas would also be maintaining ‘festival registers’ and record details of communally sensitive areas under their jurisdiction,” he added.
“We have been taking a view of previous disputes and adequate police forces would be deployed at sensitive pockets ahead of the festival,” said a senior police official.