QUITE a sensation prevailed in the district as a drone was spotted over Hedri Police Post in Etapalli taluka on Wednesday. Though police confirmed spotting the drone, they were not sure where it came from and what was its purpose, till the last reports came in. However, the area being Maoist-infested, the possibility of the object being used by the Maoist could not be ruled out.

 

This is the first time in Maoist-affected area of Maharashtra that a drone was seen flying over a police post in remote area. According to reports, a drone was found flying in the area of Hedri Police Post. The place being a remote one, everyone who saw the drone was quite surprised and it became a hot topic of discussion. Police also started their inquiry about the object. It was, however, not confirmed as to where did the drone came from and what was its purpose.

 

Additional Superintendent of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Panpaliya told ‘The Hitavada’ that enquiries into the matter were going on and nothing could be verified as yet. The possibility of its link with the Maoist movement also is being examined, he said. There is also a possibility that the drone might have been used for a marriage ceremony by somebody, he added. Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports that drones were spotted over three police posts in Gadchiroli district, including Hedri, Kothi, and Gatta. Also, the security forces reportedly fired at the flying object.

 

Though these details could not be confirmed officially, spotting of drone raised security concerns in Gadchiroli district. Already, the security forces have been put on the alert ahead of the foundation anniversary week of Communist Party of India (Maoist) (CPI-M) that was formed in the second half of September in 2004. Sources said that the Central Committee of CPI(M) has been carrying out attacks through small teams in Gadchiroli district, and had killed some civilians and security personnel in the past some time. Maoists were trying to bring in cadres from Chhattisgarh to effect some action in Gadchiroli, but alertness of security forces had foiled these attempts. Against this backdrop, spotting of drone over police post has raised concerns among police, para-military, and Intelligence machinery.

 

Similar incidents were reported in Chhattisgarh last year. Media reports dating back to November 2019 had quoted that the Centre had asked security forces in Maoism-affected States to shoot at any unidentified aerial object. The reports had quoted that the Centre had issued the advisory after ‘serious and new’ threat of Maoists using drones for surveillance in Bastar area in Chhattisgarh.