After Jammu drone attack, Srinagar bans use, sale and possession of any aerial vehicles

Srinagar administration bans sale, possession and use of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles in the city, after the attack at air force base in Jammu last week.

New Delhi: A week after the drone attack at Jammu's Air Force base, the Srinagar administration on Sunday banned the sale, possession and use of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles in the city. 

An order signed by the Srinagar's deputy commissioner Mohammad Aijaz directed citizens possessing drone cameras or other similar kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles to deposit them in local police stations, PTI reported.

"The decentralised airspace access has to be regulated in view of recent episodes of misuse of drones posing threat to security infrastructure as reported by media/other reliable sources," the order read.

However, government departments using drones for mapping, surveys and surveillance in agricultural, environmental conservation and disaster mitigation sectors have been exempted though, they have been directed to inform the local police station before using them.

The administration cautioned that any violation of the guidelines will attract punitive action, and directed police to implement the restrictions in letter and spirit.

The order to ban the use of drones came after the recommendations of the city's police chief.