Kolkata, Mar 18 (PTI) Panic gripped villagers and fishermen in two districts of West Bengal on Wednesday after drone-like objects were spotted in a paddy field and on a beach, prompting swift police action to reassure the public, a senior officer said.
In Paschim Medinipur, villagers found an object resembling a miniature aeroplane lying in a paddy field at Bakultala area of Shorshanka, Dantan-1 block, he said.
An officer of Dantan police station said, “The drone belongs to Indian Oil. It was being used to monitor their pipeline work in the area. The signal got disconnected for some reason, but there is nothing to be alarmed about.” Police recovered the device safely, he added.
In a separate incident at Kargil Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas district, fishermen noticed a red-and-yellow plane-shaped device lying on an otherwise empty beach, police said.
On inspection, it was found to contain wires and other components.
An officer of Fraserganj Coastal Police said the object was a ‘Shikra Drone’, an aerial target drone manufactured by Anadrone Systems used by the navy and air force for training and air defence exercises.
“The drone is routinely employed in mountainous, coastal, and land-based areas for defence exercises. How it ended up near Bakkhali beach is not yet clear. We are investigating the matter,” he said.
In both cases, authorities assured the public that the drones posed no threat and were safely recovered. PTI SCH MNB
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