Kolkata: In a demonstration of technology aiding public safety, the state administration used drones at Gangasagar Mela to find two lost children and reunited them with family. The effort, possibly a first in India, showcased the collaborative work of the administration and Ham radio enthusiasts.
Barasat homemaker Baishali Naskar (37) visited Gangasagar on Wednesday with her daughters Bipasha (3) and Ishita (9), and her elderly mother, Minati Dalui. After their ritual dip on Thursday, the family went to the K1 bus stand to board a bus to Kachuberia.
"In the chaos of boarding an overcrowded bus, Baishali and Mitali were jostled and fell. The kids boarded the bus but it left before the women could get on," an officer said.
Cops and civic volunteers, accompanied by Ham radio enthusiasts, took the women to a medical camp where Baishali regained consciousness. She broke down on realising her daughters were on the bus.
Saborni Nag Biswas, the youngest member of West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), played a key role in calming Baishali down. But Minati couldn't recall the bus number.
Faced with the challenge of identifying the bus, Saborni noticed a drone in operation nearby and contacted its operator, Harshad Bhanushali from Mumbai. Under his supervision, the drone operators tracked the bus to Chaukfuldubi buffer zone near Kalinagar at Sagar Island.
Bhanushali confirmed the children's presence on the bus, and Saborni coordinated with the police control room to assemble a rescue team. Female police officers were dispatched, maintaining constant communication with the drone operator.
"The children were safely brought back to the K1 bus stand, where they were reunited with their mother," Saborni told TOI on Friday.
"Thanks were extended to the DM, additional district magistrates, district information officer, disaster management officials, cops and volunteer teams at Gangasagar, whose collective efforts made this innovative rescue operation a success," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary, WBRC.