US national caught flying drone near Taj Mahal

A US national, who allegedly flew a drone near the high-security Taj Mahal, has been detained by police in Agra, on 12 November.

Police officers said the incident was reported around 2pm on Friday when a small white-coloured drone was spotted twice near the historical monument which is a tight security zone.

A joint search was soon launched by local police and the CISF, entrusted to guard the Taj Mahal, to check on the object and after few hours they spotted a man atop a nearby hotel preparing to fly the machine.

"The man, a tourist from Ohio, US, has been identified as R Nicholas. He was detained by police and brought to a local police station. Flying of drones or any other flying object is prohibited in and around Taj Mahal," they said.

Prima facie nothing suspicious has been found in the flying machine and in Nicholas's activities, they said, before adding, an investigation has been launched into the matter.

Police have also informed the United State of America Embassy in Delhi about the incident, they said.

--PTI