Unidentified drones spotted over Kolkata's Fort William - Maidan; Probe on

Late Tuesday night, several unidentified drones were observed flying over restricted areas in central Kolkata, including Victoria Memorial, Maidan, Rabindra Sadan, and the vicinity of Fort William, the headquarters of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command. These locations fall under a no-fly zone where drone operations require explicit military permission.

The drones, estimated to be around seven in number, were first spotted near Jawaharlal Nehru Road from a tall building and later seen flying over the Hastings area. Reports indicate that the drones approached from the directions of Maheshtala and Behala. Following the sightings, Kolkata Police control room at Lalbazar was immediately alerted, and all nearby police stations were placed on high alert.

Wing Commander Himanshu Tiwari, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Defence Ministry in Kolkata, confirmed the sighting of drones and said that investigations are ongoing to determine the details. He emphasized that authorities are working to verify the facts and have appealed to avoid speculation until more information is available.

Colonel Dipanshu Chaudhary, speaking on drone regulations near Fort William, stated, “No one is allowed to fly drones without a license. Since Fort William houses the Eastern Command headquarters, drone flights are strictly prohibited over residential and sensitive areas unless permitted by the Army. Even during political events, drone use requires prior approval from the Eastern Command.”

Colonel Rajendra Bhaduri highlighted the need to identify the drones’ origin and type, adding that if the drones have a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers, they could have come from outside India, including Bangladesh. This emphasizes the ongoing investigation to confirm whether these drones are local or cross-border in nature.

Former NSG officer Dipanjan Chakraborty noted that intelligence and defence agencies are closely monitoring the situation due to recent unrest and security concerns in the region. Kolkata Police have been instructed to maintain heightened vigilance as investigations continue into the source and purpose of the drones.