Bhubaneswar: The state government Friday said it was contemplating installing an anti-drone system to bolster the security at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the system can help detect, track and neutralise unauthorised or “potentially malicious” drones. “We are mulling over the idea of installing an anti-drone system for added security of the Puri temple, as done by defence establishments,” Harichandan told reporters here. Funds for the proposed anti-drone apparatus will be arranged by the temple administration, he said.
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The Odisha government has been contemplating installing the new system in the wake of some YouTubers and vloggers reportedly using drones to take pictures and videos of the 12th-century shrine despite a ban on such activities. The Puri Police is also verifying allegations concerning Jyoti Malhotra – the Haryana YouTuber arrested on suspicion of espionage – of flying a drone over the Shree Jagannath Temple during her visit to Puri in 2024. The Odisha government has already heightened security in Puri and around the historical shrine following the Pahalgam terror attack. At least 240 police personnel have been deployed in and around the temple, officials said. The administration has also accelerated the process of appointing officers for the newly raised Swatantra Shree Mandir Surakshya Vahini (SSMSV) at the temple. The SSMSV comprises 1,083 armed personnel, they said.
