Sambalpur: Incident Unveiled; OUAT Student Arrested for Flying Drone Over Restricted Hirakud Dam Area
Sambalpur: Authorities have solved the mystery of the unauthorized drone flight over the restricted area of the Hirakud Dam. They identified Deepak Kumar Sahu, a 21-year-old student from Nayagarh, as the person who flew the drone. Deepak, a third-year student at OUAT’s College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (CAET), had his mobile phone, drone camera, remote chips, and other related items confiscated by police.
Police Investigation
Today, a police team led by the SDPO of Burla and officers from the Hirakud Police Station arrived at OUAT to question Deepak. After an extended questioning session, authorities summoned him to the police station for further investigation tomorrow. The Sambalpur district police administration has confirmed that legal action will be taken against Deepak. The investigation began when the Hirakud Dam’s Chief Engineer reported the drone incident to the police.
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Social Media and Investigation Links
Deepak Kumar Sahu flew the drone over the main dam area as the Hirakud Reservoir released its first floodwaters of the year. He then shared the footage on Instagram using the handle “Mister Odia Blogger.” However, he later deleted the post. During their investigation, the police requested assistance from Meta (Facebook’s parent company) in locating the individual responsible for the drone footage. Meta confirmed Deepak’s involvement, directing the police team to OUAT.
Security Concerns
The safety of the Hirakud Reservoir, particularly the dam area, is critical. The Odisha Industrial Security Force (OISF) is responsible for protecting the dam and its surroundings. Despite these security precautions, Deepak was able to successfully fly the drone, raising questions about the effectiveness of current security protocols.
