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Punjab polls: Fazilka turns 'no fly zone' ahead of PM Modi's rally in Abohar
The local administration also strictly prohibited the flying of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a poll rally in Abohar town in Fazilka district of Punjab on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, the local administration has declared the airspace under its jurisdiction a no-fly zone till the day of rally.
The local administration also strictly prohibited the flying of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles . Fazilka's Additional District Magistrate Abhijeet Kaplish said that the orders have been issued in view of emerging threats due to the recent carrying of drones as IED by anti-national elements.
The blocking of airspace has generated controversy in battleground Punjab. On Monday, chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi claimed that his helicopter was denied permission to fly to Hoshiarpur due to Prime Minister Modi's visit to the state. "I was in Una at 11 am but suddenly the permission to fly to Hoshiarpur was denied due to PM Modi's movement. It was declared a no-fly zone. I was not able to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally in Hoshiarpur. I had permission to land, news agency ANI quoted Channi.
Channi's statement came on a day Prime Minister Modi addressed his poll rally in Jalandhar, the first since the January security breach when his convoy was stuck on a flyover in Ferozepur for 15-20 minutes.
On February 16, he scheduled to hold a meeting in Pathankot, while the Abohar rally will take place on February 17.
Punjab goes to the polls on February 20, and the Congress Party is fighting to keep control of one of the few states it governs on its own. The counting of votes will be held on March 10.
