Panic Grips Towns Across India as Unverified Drone Sightings Spark Mob Attacks

In the past few days, widespread panic over unverified drone sightings and suspicious nighttime movement has gripped towns and villages across the northern Indian states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The tragic consequences of this hysteria unfolded on Thursday night in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district. Amid rumors of drones and intruders in the area, a 25-year-old daily wage worker named Soran Kashyap tried to cross a road and was struck and killed by a speeding car. The driver fled the scene, and local police took Soran to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district, two separate mob attacks occurred the same night. In one incident, villagers in Naseerpur mistook two brothers guarding their mango orchard for thieves and assaulted them with sharp weapons, leaving them seriously injured. In another attack, a group of factory workers who had lost their way were surrounded by villagers, who vandalized their vehicle and beat them.

Police in both states have acknowledged the panic caused by unsubstantiated rumors about drones and suspicious activity. Authorities have urged citizens not to believe or spread such misinformation, as it only leads to unnecessary chaos and disruption of public order. Investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators of the mob attacks.