Who Are UP’s ‘Drone Chor’? As Fear Runs High, A Look At What’s Causing Mob Assaults, Night Vigils

Last Updated:September 23, 2025, 14:57 IST

DIG (Meerut Range) says no theft has been conclusively linked to drones so far. CM Yogi Adityanath directed police to maintain a drone register and ban unauthorised night flights

Ukraine’s Air Force issued a warning between Tuesday night and early Wednesday (Representative Image)

In Kanpur Dehat, men no longer sleep through the night. Armed with lathis and torches, they patrol lanes shouting ‘Jagte Raho!’ — a throwback to bygone era. Their vigil is not against dacoits but against “drone wale chor” — thieves they believe are using drones to scout homes before robberies.

What began as a rumour in western Uttar Pradesh has now snowballed into a state-wide panic, triggering mob assaults, police crackdowns and nightly vigils. In Bareilly, a mentally unstable beggar was lynched by villagers who mistook him for a drone-linked thief. In Modinagar, Ghaziabad, a man visiting his partner from Hapur was beaten by a mob for allegedly operating a drone — though he had none.

Similar scenes have played out in Bulandshahr, where a man was stripped and assaulted after a blinking light in the sky sparked chaos, and in Hardoi, where a mentally challenged youth was tied under a tree until police intervened. Four brothers returning from Delhi were thrashed in Bareilly after a toy drone was found on a school roof — police later confirmed it was broken and incapable of flight.

How it all began

Police say the fear can be traced to Amroha, where in June, bizarre tales began circulating about a gang of oil-smeared, half-naked thieves using drones to survey rooftops. The story seemed far-fetched but spread quickly across WhatsApp groups, amplified by low-quality videos — some doctored, some old — showing glowing objects in the sky.

By mid-July, similar “sightings” were being reported in Moradabad, Rampur, Sambhal, Meerut, Bijnor and beyond. “Paranoia has outpaced fact,” admits a senior police officer.

What the authorities say

DIG (Meerut Range) Kalanidhi Naithani says no theft has been conclusively linked to drones so far. “Drone sightings have been reported for over a month now, but they have no proven connection to organised crime,” he said. “This hysteria is being driven by rumours.”

The panic grew big enough to reach the state’s top office. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the matter in a high-level law and order meeting last week. He directed police to maintain a drone register, ban unauthorised night flights, and warned that those spreading rumours or using drones to create fear would face charges under the Gangster Act. “NSA provisions may also be invoked if necessary,” he said.

Police helplines across affected districts have been flooded with drone-related calls. DIG 112 Shahab Rasheed Khan confirmed that such complaints are being referred to local police stations. For villagers, fear has turned into action — sometimes dangerously so. In Etah and Kasganj, tin sheets are banged to alert neighbours at the first sign of movement. In Kanpur Dehat, night patrols have become routine, with men walking in groups, shouting warnings.

In Ghaziabad and Hapur, families have installed terrace lights, while some fire into the air to scare off suspected drones. In Balrampur’s Parsabizuwa village, torch sales have jumped as residents keep lights handy to respond to any disturbance. “One or two people in every household now stay awake through the night,” says Ramapati Verma of Fatehganj, Bareilly.

But this grassroots vigilance has also led to mob justice. Over 40 people have been arrested in Meerut, Sambhal and Amroha for spreading panic or circulating fake videos. In Amroha, three YouTubers were detained for filming drone footage without permission. In Meerut, two content creators were held for allegedly sharing fake clips that fuelled hysteria.

Political twist

The panic has taken a political turn too. Former BJP state chief and Rajya Sabha MP Laxmikant Vajpayee alleged that “vested interests” were behind the rumours to tarnish the Yogi government’s law-and-order record. The Samajwadi Party hit back, accusing the government of failing to reassure citizens. “Even if these are conspiracies, the state must expose them and restore confidence,” said SP veteran Rajendra Chaudhary.

However, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad maintained that the incidents are “sporadic”. “Very strict action has been taken in cases of mischievous drone flying in one or two districts. Local police act promptly to diffuse rumours,” he said.

Despite these reassurances, fear remains stronger than fact in UP.

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