Mumbai: Panic gripped the area around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal-1 in Vile Parle (East) when a black toy drone fell from a tree on Saturday, amid heightened security for the upcoming Republic Day and VVIP movements.Airport police registered a first information report (FIR) against an unknown person under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 223 (disobedience to orders lawfully promulgated by public servants) on a complaint filed by police constable Vinod Shirsath (35).Shirsath said that around noon, Vishal Raje, an electrical team leader working under the supervision of the landside operational manager of Adani group, was cutting a tree at the airport’s autorickshaw pickup point using a boom lift, when the toy drone fell down.Raje informed the landside manager and officials searched the area, but there was no one in sight. The officials and Rahe then went to the police station and submitted the drone. Shirsath and sub-inspector Khair of the Anti-Terrorism Squad also inspected the spot.Mumbai Police has banned the flying of drones, paragliders and similar objects in the city, citing potential terrorist threats. The restriction does not apply to police surveillance or specific permitted operations, with violations leading to legal action. “Despite the prohibition on drones and drone-like devices as per the latest circular some unknown person flew a drone-like device in a sensitive area like the airport,” said an officer of the Airport police station.
