Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, May 21, 2025, Kolkata : A sense of unease gripped Kolkata on Tuesday night as at least seven unidentified flying objects, suspected to be drones, were sighted in the skies over the city. The objects, reportedly emanating from the direction of Maheshtala and Behala, raised serious security concerns given the proximity of the area to key strategic installations like the Second Hooghly Bridge and Fort William, the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army.
Sources indicate that unusual lights were observed in the sky around the same time by multiple observers. The lights were seen moving rapidly before vanishing behind high-rise buildings, displaying flight patterns consistent with drone movement. This has heightened concerns, especially as large portions of the area fall under army control.
The Army reportedly took note of the incident. Following the sighting, the duty officer of Kolkata Police alerted Lalbazar control, which in turn dispatched notifications to several local police stations. Officers from those stations attempted to visually track the objects, but low nighttime visibility limited their ability to gather concrete evidence. Whether the objects were indeed drones or something else remains under investigation.
Kolkata Police has opened communication with army authorities to examine the situation thoroughly. The mysterious timing and nature of the incident come at a moment when tensions in the region and at the national level are already heightened. It follows closely on the heels of the arrest of a Bangladeshi national in Kalimpong for illegal entry and growing national concern over unauthorized infiltration by foreign nationals, including citizens from Bangladesh and Pakistan, some of whom have been linked to espionage and surveillance networks.
Retired Army officer Colonel Rajendra Bhaduri, speaking to KalimNews, remarked, “It’s important to analyze what kind of drones they are and what their range might be. There is a possibility they could have originated from across the border, including Bangladesh, but it would be premature to speculate. However, if they are surveillance drones, the security implications are serious.”
Given Kolkata’s strategic importance as a defense and administrative hub in eastern India, the appearance of mysterious aerial objects is being treated with utmost seriousness. Intelligence agencies are working in coordination with local police and the armed forces to trace the source, purpose, and technology behind the objects.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently emphasized the importance of drone detection systems, especially around sensitive infrastructure and border states. While no hostile activity has been confirmed, the recent spate of incidents involving foreign nationals, coupled with sightings of unidentified drones, underscores the need for heightened vigilance and rapid modernization of aerial surveillance defenses.
Authorities continue to monitor the airspace closely, and a detailed investigation is underway to determine whether the incident was an isolated technological anomaly, a civilian misadventure, or a potential breach of national security.