Nagpur Police announced an extension of the ban on photography and videography at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Mahal, declaring it a ‘no-drone’ zone. The prohibition also covers surrounding roads and will remain in effect until June 27.
Referring to a perceived risk to the RSS HQ, Joint Commissioner of Police Aswati Dorje, acting under the authority vested in her by Section 144 (1) (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), issued directives prohibiting the capturing of photographs and videos of the RSS headquarters. This measure is due to the HQ’s location in a densely populated area, surrounded by hotels, lodges, and coaching classes. Violators of this order will be subject to legal action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
Earlier, on January 28, Joint Commissioner of Police Aswathi Dorje had issued an order designating the RSS Headquarters in Nagpur’s Mahal area as a ‘no-drone’ zone and prohibited photography and videography of the premises until March 28. The RSS headquarters has faced repeated threats from terrorists. In an incident on June 1, 2006, police neutralized three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists attempting to infiltrate the building. Since then, a significant number of armed police personnel have been deployed to ensure the headquarters’ security. Additionally, the police are actively monitoring intelligence suggesting that Naxals may be using small drones to surveil security forces near the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh borders.