Drone panic in Ghaziabad villages, fear of high-tech burglary sparks night patrols

Drone panic has taken hold in several villages across Ghaziabad as unverified videos and WhatsApp messages circulate warnings of drones allegedly scouting for burglaries. This surge of apprehension, originally backed by little more than forwarded clips and roadside tales, has prompted communities to launch nightly patrols, armed with sticks and the urgent call to be vigilant, according to a TOI report.

In villages like Kumhera and Amirpuri Garhi, night patrols have become routine. Residents, animated by what they insist are “drone sightings” in recent days, stand guard under the starless sky, their eyes scanning for blinking lights and their megaphones repeating, “Agar kisi ko drone dikhe, turant police ko khabar karen, ya humein bataein” - advising villagers to contact police or the patrol at the first sign of a drone. Despite the nightly vigils, very few claim to have seen a drone themselves, though most cite videos shared locally as proof the threat is real.

In one incident, villagers quickly blocked a road when a car approached at night, questioning the driver and verifying his story by calling his local contact before letting him through. Residents speak of “two-way verification” as a necessary precaution in uncertain times.

The concern is not limited to Ghaziabad alone: similar stories have surfaced in neighbouring districts such as Meerut and Moradabad and even parts of Uttarakhand, with claims circulating that criminal gangs are collaborating with drone operators.

One resident, Mukesh Yadav, was cited by TOI as saying that people in his village are sharing videos and remain on high alert. Yet, when pressed for direct evidence, Yadav and others admitted they personally hadn’t seen a drone but placed great trust in the videos and stories that have swept through their communities.

Amit Kumar recounted that four drones were reportedly seen in Kumhera one Sunday night, with videos quickly spread across WhatsApp groups to alert residents. However, TOI reported that it found that many of these videos are of questionable origin, often untraceable, yet have become the chief vehicle for the anxiety now gripping these locales.

As a result, patrols in affected villages span from 8 pm until up to 3 am the next day. According to Bijendra Kumar, the pradhan of Amirpuri Garhi and Kumhera, he allowed the patrols to continue out of caution, in large part because of the social media videos that were circulating.

The authorities have tried to dispel the hysteria. While drones do fly in some rural areas for agricultural or event photography, officials point out that, in Ghaziabad, their use is largely restricted. Notably, small drones are being used for floodplain surveys well away from residential areas and these operations are confined to daytime hours.

Senior police officials, quoted by TOI, confirmed that several nights of patrols and prompt police action on more than 40 calls about ‘drone sightings’ have produced no conclusive evidence or drone recoveries. In one widely circulated video, the alleged drone with blinking lights was identified by investigators as a civilian aircraft captured in a close-up. Due to national security concerns and past operations, Ghaziabad remains a ‘no-fly zone’ for drones unless explicit permission is granted by authorities, with violations prosecutable under multiple sections of law.

Police maintain that, so far, all videos submitted by villagers are undergoing forensic analysis, but there is no evidence to confirm the presence of suspicious drones. Additional senior officers have appealed to the public not to be swayed by unverified social media claims and to report any genuinely suspicious activity, reiterating that anxiety is being fuelled more by rumour than fact, TOI reported.