Foreigner held for taking photos of Victoria Memorial using drone

Kolkata: A Chinese national has been arrested at the Hastings police station for allegedly clicking pictures of Victoria Memorial and Fort William using a drone on Saturday afternoon.

He was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Kolkata at the Bankshall Court on Sunday and was granted police custody till March 25.

According to sources, on Saturday afternoon Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel engaged in Victoria Memorial's security spotted a drone on the premises.

After a few minutes, some CISF personnel identified the Chinese national as Li Zhiwei. Zhiwei was controlling the drone using a remote control.

When he was intercepted, the accused allegedly tried to escape. But CISF personnel were able to detain him soon.

After he was detained, the drone was checked thoroughly and found that it had captured pictures of several parts of Victoria Memorial. CISF personnel also found some pictures of Fort William, which is adjacent to Victoria.

During interrogation, it was found that the accused Chinese national had came to Kolkata on Friday night from China via Malaysia. On Saturday he went to Victoria Memorial.

Later, Central Industrial Security Force handed him over to Hastings police station and lodged a complaint against him.

Police have started a probe and interrogating him to know about his

intentions.

Question arose that being a foreign national if he was unaware about that using a drone to take pictures of such facilities is illegal, why he tried to escape when

CISF personnel asked him to stop and surrender.

Sources informed that the information of the arrest has been conveyed to the Chinese Consulate.