Mumbai, Jan 29 (PTI) Police grounded four drones found flying without permission during the movement of VVIPs at the venue of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister late Ajit Pawar’s funeral in Baramati town in Pune district on Thursday, officials said.
The 66-year-old NCP chief, popularly known as ‘Dada’ (elder brother) in Baramati, was cremated with full state honours at the Vidya Pratishthan college ground in Baramati, a day after he along with four others died when the chartered plane carrying them crashed on Wednesday morning.
Over two lakh supporters and prominent political leaders across the party lines and from various parts of the country attended the funeral, the police said.
Besides NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and his family members, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, BJP president Nitin Nabin, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, MNS chief Raj Thackeray and various prominent politicians and other personalities paid respects to Ajit Pawar.
Heavy police deployment was in place and high vigil was maintained in Baramati to avoid any law and order related issue during the funeral, they said.
“The police found at least four drones flying in an unauthorised manner above the Vidya Pratishthan Ground during the VVIP movement, following which announcements were initially made, asking the operators to stop using the drones, but there was no response. The police team then used anti-drone technology and grounded the four drones,” a senior police official said.
The police are probing for what purpose these drones were being operated at the funeral ground and making an inquiry with their operators, he said.
“If anything suspicious is found, then the police will also register a case for the violation of prohibitory orders issued by government officials,” he said.
Meanwhile, as a mark of tribute to Ajit Pawar, ‘bandhs’ called by his party workers were observed in various parts of the state, including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Amravati, Hingoli, Chandrapur, Pune, Nashik Rural, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar and Gadchiroli, the official said.
Tributes were paid to the late deputy CM by various department officers and all staff members working at the Mantralaya in South Mumbai and state government offices across the state. PTI DC NP
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