Next time you see a spider-like object whirring overhead, beware – it might shower pepper and chili powder to chase away an unruly mob. The small unmanned mini-chopper hovering in the sky might be one of the drones deployed by Lucknow Police to control mobs besides rendering its usual task of functioning as an eye-in-the-sky.
As many as three drones were launched by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at a function organised by the state capital Police to felicitate 14 special police officers (SPO). Public CCTV project ‘Nazar Ek Ummed’ and ‘Drishti’ city surveillance project were also launched at the function. These three drones, with prices between Rs 3 to Rs 12 lakhs, include ‘octacopter’ which has eight cameras to take snaps and visuals from different angles. It also has an inbuilt chamber in which pepper powder can be filled and released to disperse an unruly mob, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Yashasvi Yadav said.
Addressing the gathering at the occasion, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that installation of CCTV cameras would help not only in maintaining law and order but also for traffic management and crime control. “I think with installation of CCTV cameras, the behaviour of common man will also change as they would know that eyes of camera are on them. Soon modern control rooms will be established in more cities of the state,” Yadav said.
