In the wake of reports of what were described as suspicious drone-like objects over the Meerut Cantonment in Uttar Pradesh, we’ve upped our level of vigilance. As of Tuesday, June 2, 2026, you can be sure there is an investigation in progress and that we are watching key parts of the military zone with a fine-tooth comb.
What set this in motion
We first got wind of it on the evening of May 30. The initial reports from the Army and local police were of camera-carrying drones over the cantonment. That was enough to get our units talking and moving in unison right away.
We don’t take this lightly. The airspace here is off-limits for a reason, and any kind of unauthorised drone work is a breach of that.
The way we are handling it
Vinayak Gopal Bhonsle, the Additional City Superintendent of Police, says we had several teams in the field by that same night. Our social media cell, the surveillance team and other specialists were all put to work to check on these sightings and try to map where they might have come from.
It’s been a combined operation with the Army Police, district and local personnel. We are going through every bit of CCTV in the neighbourhood to spot a launch point or an operator.
After a sit-down with some top brass from the Army and central agencies, we made sure our standard operating procedures were being followed and that the line of communication between the civil and military side was as tight as it could be, per Bhonsle.
Here is a run-down of what has been done so far:
– Field searches with the Army and police
– We are in the process of gathering and looking at the footage
– A multi-agency review of SOPs
– Specialists are on the case
The search areas
You will find our teams in and around Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera, RVC and Ganganagar. They are all within hailing distance of the cantonment and would be good spots for someone to make an unauthorised launch from.
Putting the record straight
There has been some noise in the media about two drones being put down. Bhonsle has put those claims to rest. The Army has said no to that as well, and we have nothing to back it up.
It is important to correct the record. Hearsay can send you down the wrong path and make your job harder. We are focused on the facts and on building a timeline from what we have on the ground and on video.
For the public
Let’s be clear: you can’t just fly a drone in a restricted zone without permission. It is an offence and we will act on it once we have the evidence to do so.
If you live close to the cantonment and see something, tell us. But please, don’t pass on information you haven’t checked. When the community is with us, it makes it easier to put the pieces together and keep things secure.
We are still at it, in step with the Army. We are ready for the possibility of another one of these showing up and have a plan for it.
Our job is to find out if the reports were for real, who was behind them and why. You can expect the next word from us to come after we have combed through the CCTV and any digital footprints the social media unit has turned up.
This in Meerut is a case in point for what we have to deal with: cheap aerial tech in places it doesn’t belong. Until we have followed every lead, the watch and the joint operations are not going anywhere.
