Two Hyderabad students held for using drone on Yadadri temple

HYDERABAD: The Yadadri police took into custody two BTech students who took videos of the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple using drone-mounted cameras. The police seized the drone cameras, mobile phones and four-wheelers from the students.

Yadadri inspector S. Saidaiah said that they received information that two students, Manish Kumar and Sai Kumar, had driven to the temple city on Saturday night and filmed the temple and its surroundings. The students are in the police station and will be produced before the court on Monday.

"They recorded videos by using drone cameras without permission from temple management or the police. The Special Protection Force (SPF) staff noticed the drones flying on the temple and tracked them," the inspector said.

The drones led the police to the students who were operating them. During their questioning, said they were making a documentary on the temple.

The police registered cases under Sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and took them into custody.

The inspector stated that police had issued orders banning the operation of drone-mounted cameras on the temple premises and its surroundings. Those wanting to use drones have to take permission from the police, he said.