Anti-drone system at Taj Mahal to counter aerial threats
AGRA: An anti-drone technology system was installed at the
Taj Mahal
in Agra on Friday to counter potential aerial threats in and around the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Police said the system has a range of eight kilometres and will 'soft kill' any threat once it comes within 500 metres of the main dome of the historic monument.
The move comes after India carried out military strikes under Operation Sindoor on nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people were killed.
ACP (Taj Security) Sayed Areeb Ahmad said that the anti-drone system, provided by the security headquarters, successfully detected and neutralised drones during the trial run.
According to Ahmad, the system has a range of about eight kilometres and can identify drones flying from any direction within this range. "It not only tracks the drone's current location but also pinpoints where it is being operated from. Drones coming within 500 metres of the monument are automatically neutralised," Ahmad said.
"If any drone enters the no-fly zone around the Taj Mahal, the system will detect it immediately.
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A response team will then trace the operator's location, conduct a raid, and take legal action as per the rules," he added.
Before the installation of the technology, security teams deployed to protect the Taj Mahal also underwent a week-long training to handle and operate the system, said the ACP Ahmad, adding, "Agra Police and CISF are involved in protecting the Taj Mahal and its periphery, and flying of drones is prohibited within the 500-metre radius of the monument."
When asked how the system works, police sources refrained from revealing many details, citing security concerns. However, they said that the anti-drone system automatically jams the signal of any drone approaching the area, rendering it inoperable through a method known as a 'soft kill'.
A police team will then trace the origin point of the drone and secure the location from where it was launched.
Agra Police will be responsible for operating and maintaining the system. However, the exact location of the radar and other components has not been disclosed.
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