10 drones flying illegally over Puri temple seized in last 20 months, min tells assembly

Bhubaneswar: Police seized 10 drones which were illegally being flown over the Jagannath temple in Puri in the past 20 months, state law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed the assembly on Saturday.Responding to a written query from BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb, Harichandan said that 10 cases were registered at the Singhadwar police station since June 2024. "While final reports have been submitted in two cases, investigations into the remaining eight are still underway," the minister replied.
According to govt sources, the Puri administration has prohibited drone activity around the shrine, declaring it a punishable offence. In addition to this, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has designated the temple area a "no-flying zone" until Sept 25, 2028, restricting all drones and unmanned aerial vehicles within a specified perimeter and altitude to prevent security breaches.Harichandan also revealed that 700 devotees entered the temple premises with mobile phones since June 2024, violating the ban on electronic devices. Police collected penalties amounting to Rs 6.93 lakh for these infractions.During the same period, eight cases were detected involving devotees who illegally captured and circulated photos or videos of the temple's inner sanctum on social media.In Aug 2025, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) submitted a proposal to the law department seeking amendments to the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, to strengthen temple security. The proposed amendments aim to introduce strict penalties for violations, such as carrying mobile phones or electronic devices inside the temple and operating drones above it.The suggested penalties include imprisonment and substantial fines to deter such activities. The proposed amendments seek to impose up to three years of imprisonment or a fine of Rs 20,000, or both, for carrying phones and electronic devices inside the temple. Additionally, circulating videos or images of the temple's interior on social media could result in seven years of imprisonment without bail and a fine of Rs 50,000. Unauthorized drone usage over the temple would attract similar penalties. "These measures are aimed at ensuring the sanctity and security of the Jagannath temple, addressing vulnerabilities and preventing future breaches," a senior SJTA official said.