Mumbai, May 26(TOI): Two days after five unidentified objects were spotted flying over Mumbai airport, the mystery over the sightings has only deepened. Despite probes by multiple agencies, basic questions about the objects remain unanswered.
Mumbai Police has not registered an FIR but taken a suo moto initiative to investigate the incident. Deven Bharti, JCP (law and order) said, "We are in coordination with central agencies and should be able to track down those behind the objects." The Indian Air Force, Central Industrial Security Force, DGCA, Intelligence Bureau and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security are also looking into the matter.
"We are yet to ascertain if these objects were parachutes, drones or para-gliders. CCTVs in housing societies or traffic junctions could only have captured them if the objects landed within their range," said an official from the airport police station. At least four police stations—Vile Parle, Sahar, Saki Naka, Vakola—besides airport police have been alerted. "The possibility of unmanned aerial objects carrying cameras to record goings-on at the airport can't be ruled out," he said.
The aerial objects were spotted around 5.55pm on Saturday from the Kalina side. "A pilot with Jet Airways and another with Indigo noticed five aerial objects. Air traffic was briefly halted by the ATC. We received intimation around 6.15pm and made a round of the premises but couldn't spot them," said senior inspector R Nagbhire of domestic airport police. He alerted Juhu police apprehending the objects may land at Pawan Hans. The statement of J P Dubey, an on-duty supervisor with ATC Mumbai, was collected by police from MIAL's apron control team.
A top aviation official said, "We do not know for sure yet if all five flying objects were parachutes. We are also trying to find out their size, a very crucial information as that would help solve many questions, like whether these were unmanned and their purpose," he added.
A senior officer at the IAF headquarters in New Delhi said a report was sought from South-Western Air Command which covers Mumbai, but "no evidence till now had emerged about unusual or abnormal activity" in or around Mumbai airport on Saturday.