A devotee was detained for interrogation for flying a drone over the gurdwara in Patna City on Sunday.

The incident occurred around 5.20pm when a number of devotees and police officials were waiting for chief minister Nitish Kumar. The security personnel were taken by surprise after spotting the camera-fitted machine flying over the structure.

Eyewitnesses said the machine kept on hovering over the building for more than 15 minutes. The man, who was controlling the drone, continued the operation till intervention by senior police officials, who asked him to stop.

Later, a police team led by city superintendent of police (east) Dhurat Sayali Sablaram seized the drone and detained the man. He was taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation by senior police officers.

Sleuths of the intelligence agencies also quizzed the man as his action was construed as breach in the security of the chief minister and other VIPs visiting the place of worship.

The police have banned the use of drones to click the pictures of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib as a precautionary measure.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj said the offender will not be spared. "I have ordered a detailed investigation into the matter and asked the officers concerned to submit a report," he told The Telegraph.

Goodwill awards

Balmiki Kumar, 22, a bus driver with the BSRTC was among 10 people chosen to receive an award from district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and SSP Manu Maharaaj for any act of goodwill during Prakash Utsav.

Balmiki had returned a bag that a devotee had recently left behind on the bus.

Assistant sub-inspector Ram Balak Prasad of Athmalgola police station, deputed at help desk number 12 at Patna Sahib railway station, was awarded for crowd management.