Drones disrupt 7 Amritsar flights, cops probe kabaddi filming link

The police are investigating whether drones used for videography during a kabaddi tournament at a stadium between Ballagan and Jhanjoti villages could be linked to the incident. Advertisement A case has been registered against unidentified persons at the Raja Sansi police station. SP (Operations) Gagandeep Singh Ghumman said a preliminary investigation found that a kabaddi tournament was held in the area, but it had ended in the evening. Advertisement The police are also examining other possibilities, including the use of drones during a marriage function. According to the airport authorities, the IAF informed them about suspected drone activity over the airfield around 9.40 pm on Sunday. Advertisement Following the alert, the Air Traffic Control, Amritsar, activated the Joint Action Committee (JAC) under the prescribed standard operating procedure. Airport Director Anirudh Sharma said the JAC was activated immediately after the information was received. As there was a possibility of an incoming aircraft coming in contact with a drone, the airspace was temporarily closed and landing operations were suspended. Normal operations at the airport resumed around 11.15 pm, he said. Seven flights, including domestic and international services, were diverted during the disruption. Malaysia Airlines' flight MH-118 from Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Delhi. IndiGo flights 6E-5028 from Mumbai and 6E-2045 from Delhi were diverted to Chandigarh. Air India flights AI-479 and AI-855, operating from Delhi to Amritsar, were turned back to Delhi. IndiGo flight 6E-1428 and Air India Express flight IX-120, both from Sharjah to Amritsar, were also diverted to Delhi. The incident triggered an immediate security response, with the Central Industrial Security Force, the Punjab Police and other central security agencies put on alert. A complaint was also submitted to the Amritsar rural police. Raja Sansi SHO Gurpreet Singh said police teams reached the area immediately after receiving information from the airport authorities but did not observe any suspicious activity. The police subsequently checked information about the kabaddi tournament and found that drones had been used for videography during the daytime. However, the tournament had ended before the suspected activity was reported at night. 'We are investigating the matter after registering a case,' he said. The airport is located in a border district and its operational area is considered highly sensitive. Flying drones or using laser lights within a 10-km radius of the international airport without permission is prohibited. The restriction also applies to marriage palaces, hotels, restaurants and public functions. 'We had a meeting with the airport authorities today. We assured them that people in nearby villages would be sensitised and made aware that no drone activity should be carried out,' said the SP (Operations).