Drone thieves: Rumours claim another life in Rae Bareli village
The fear of drone thieves has significantly impacted daily life in rural UP. Villagers are staying awake at night, keeping watch for potential threats
The rumours of drone thieves across rural Uttar Pradesh have started taking a toll as a 38-year-old man was lynched by a group on suspicion, in a Rae Bareli village, on Wednesday night, senior police officials said on Friday.
The fear of drone thieves has significantly impacted daily life in rural UP. Villagers are staying awake at night, keeping watch for potential threats, while others have installed terrace lights to ‘scare off suspected drones’. Despite the widespread fear, there is no conclusive evidence linking drones to thefts but the state police have taken steps to address the situation, including maintaining a drone register and banning unauthorised night flights.
The recent incident took place at midnight on Wednesday when the victim was walking towards Dadedpur Majra Ishwardaspur village under Unchahar police station limits of Rae Bareli. Rae Bareli additional superintendent of police (ASP), Sanjeev Sinha, said that the victim was later identified as Hariom, a resident of Tarwawati ka Purwa of Fathepur district, adjoining Rae Bareli.
He said the police have registered a case of culpable homicide under Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) section 105 against two local villagers Vaibhav, Akhilesh and other unknown persons. He said the post-mortem report will reveal the exact cause of death.
He said the police have taken six people in custody for interrogation on the basis of a viral video of people beating the man and the police are questioning other villagers about the incident. He said strict action will be taken against the culprits.
Sharing details, inspector in-charge of Unchahar police station, Sanjay Kumar, said the initial probe revealed that the victim was stopped by around 24-25 villagers who interrogated him. “Despite his claims of being a resident of a nearby village, the mob didn’t believe him and took him to a canal near the village. There, they stripped him naked, tied him to a pole, and beat him mercilessly with sticks and belts throughout the night. The victim was later abandoned near a railway track in a semi-conscious state, where he succumbed to his injuries,” he stated while narrating the sequence of events and added, “The police were informed about the incident on Thursday morning after which the local police team reached the spot. The victim was taken to the Unchahar Community Health Centre (CHC), where he was declared dead”.
He emphasised that the villagers in Ishwardaspur have been on high alert due to rumours of drones flying in the area for the past few days, leading to heightened vigilance and suspicion among residents.
Another senior police official stated this wave of fear has gripped rural Uttar Pradesh, with villagers believing that thieves are using drones to scout homes before burglaries. He said this phenomenon, which started in western UP, has spread to various parts of the state, triggering mob assaults, night vigils, and police crackdowns.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had also warned that those spreading rumours or using drones to create fear will face charges under the Gangsters’ Act. Police have launched awareness drives, directing drone owners to register their devices.
