Drone Discovery Causes Alarm in Coastal Village of Mahakalapada

Unexpected Drone Encounter in Suniti Village

In the tranquil coastal village of Suniti, located in Mahakalapada, a villager's fishing net revealed a drone early Saturday morning, triggering widespread concern among residents.

The drone was discovered by Srimant Gochhait, a local from Ward No. 6, shortly after midnight on Friday.

Upon learning of the situation, the Tantiapala Marine Police quickly arrived at the scene to confiscate the drone, which is believed to have been utilized for aerial photography and videography.

An investigation into the matter is currently in progress.

Officials have indicated that heightened security protocols are being enforced to protect critical sites along the Kendrapara coastline, particularly due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

As a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Shipping has temporarily closed all lighthouses to visitors, including the historic False Point Lighthouse located in Batighar Gram Panchayat, effective from May 8 until May 17, as stated by Jayanta Kumar Chattarjee, the lighthouse's in-charge.

The False Point Lighthouse, one of the oldest in the Indian subcontinent, is situated on a large island formed by the Mahanadi river delta.

Historically, ships from the British East India Company often confused the Mahanadi with the Hooghly river while approaching Kolkata port, which led to the area being named ‘False Point.’

To enhance maritime navigation, plans for the lighthouse were initiated in the early 1830s, with land donated by the Maharaja of Burdwan to the British East India Company for its construction.

Materials such as boulders and lime were transported via sea routes, and construction officially commenced on December 6, 1836.

The lighthouse, a 38-meter-tall circular tower tapering at the top, was completed on October 16, 1837.