Residents in parts of western Uttar Pradesh are gripped with fear due to mysterious drone sightings over the past two weeks. In districts like Amroha, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur, and Sambhal, people are staying awake through the night, guarding their homes with sticks and batons. Villagers say the drones appear in the sky after dark, with flashing lights, and are allegedly being used by gangs to plan thefts.
Locals believe drones aid gangs in planning thefts and assaults
According to villagers, suspected criminal gangs are using drones to survey targeted villages before carrying out thefts. They claim the gang parks vehicles at the village outskirts, flies drones to identify vulnerable homes, and returns at midnight to execute thefts, harass women, and assault residents. Several mobile videos of the drones have been shared locally.
Night watches and panic in affected villages
In villages like Moondhapande, Veerpur, Jagdalpur, and Sherpur in Moradabad, locals say drones have been spotted repeatedly. Fear has spread to nearby areas of Amroha, where residents are also keeping night-long vigils. Any noise or movement at night is causing mass panic, with residents rushing out to investigate. Many say their sleep has been disturbed for over 10 days now.
Police call it rumour, but locals remain alarmed
Despite growing fear, police in Amroha and Moradabad have dismissed the claims as mere rumours. Officials say there is no credible evidence of drones being used for criminal activity, and investigations so far have not confirmed any such organised gang.
Drone recovered in Rampur adds to fear
In Rampur, panic intensified after a drone was found crashed on a roadside near Kotwali Tanda. Locals had earlier reported seeing several drones in the sky at night. The sighting and recovery of a drone led to chaos in the area, with a large crowd gathering. Police have seized the device and launched an investigation.
