Kolkata, May 21 (IANS) The Army and Kolkata Police are on alert after mysterious drone-like illuminated objects were spotted in the skies over the capital city in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The office of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon confirming receipt of information about “suspected drones” being spotted in the city skies on Tuesday late at night.

“Reports of drone sightings over Kolkata have been received and are currently under investigation. Efforts are underway to ascertain the veracity of this event. Further information will be shared as facts are established. In the interim, the media is urged to refrain from speculation,” the statement read.

Sources in the city police said the mysterious movements of lights were first spotted by on-duty cops at some police stations.

The light movements approached the Kolkata skies from the Behala and Maheshtala sides in the southern outskirts of the city and were seen mainly in central Kolkata for about 10 to 15 minutes.

One police officer, who spotted the mysterious light movements, immediately contacted the city police control room at its headquarters, and subsequently, the office of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army was also informed.

“We are not sure whether the mysterious movements of those lightened objects were of drones or not. Generally, such lights are not spotted in the Kolkata spies, which made us suspicious. However, there is no reason to panic,” said a senior official of the city police who did not wish to be named.

It is learnt that much of the area where such mysterious light movements were spotted is under the control of the Indian Army, especially the vacant Maidan area. Flying drones without prior permission in such prohibited areas has made the police suspicious of the mysterious light movements.

At the time the report was filed, no information surfaced on where these mysterious light movements originated from or where they vanished to. The only information available so far is that two light movements approached towards eastern Kolkata and two others approached towards North Kolkata. There were confusing inputs on the exact number of light movements.

–IANS

src/dpb