Shivamogga police use drones to detect illegal activities in open places

Think twice before breaking the law in the open spaces of Shivamogga, the police may be watching from a place you least expect. The Shivamogga district police have taken surveillance to new heights, literally, deploying drones to keep a watchful eye over public areas.

The initiative is already delivering results, with two cases of illegal activity booked in recent weeks after drone cameras caught offenders in the act.

Shivamogga Superintendent of Police Nikhil B. has constituted a dedicated six-member drone operations team, comprising an inspector, a sub-inspector, and four personnel from the District Armed Reserve, all of whom have undergone specialised training in drone deployment. They have four drones, and as of now they operate two regularly. The team is equipped with a vehicle and is on standby to respond swiftly whenever a tip-off comes in — whether through the police helpline 112 or through informants on the ground.

“There are chances of accused escaping by the time our staff physically reach the spot. With drones, we can capture the activity as it happens and record the faces of individuals by lowering the altitude. Even if we identify one or two of them, we can track down the rest,” said Mr. Nikhil.

On April 28, the drone team acted on a tip-off and flew surveillance over a forest area in Kudligere, Bhadravathi taluk, where 19 persons were booked on charges of gambling. In a separate incident, two individuals were caught on camera consuming liquor in an open space on the outskirts of Shivamogga city.

The initiative draws on Mr. Nikhil’s earlier experience in Kolar, where the 2017-batch IPS officer first championed the use of drone cameras for surveillance. “People are now generally aware of this, and gatherings for illegal activities in open spaces have come down considerably,” he said.

Traditionally, police drones in the district were reserved for large public events and processions. Their regular deployment for day-to-day surveillance and crime detection marks a significant shift in policing strategy.

For night patrol

Mr. Nikhil has made a case for acquiring drones equipped with night-vision capabilities, arguing that they would transform night patrolling. “With a drone in hand, a staff member on night duty can monitor a far larger area than is possible on foot or by vehicle. It would make the work easier and more effective,” he said.