Bhubaneswar: Police on Monday registered a case in connection with the flying of a chopper only a few metres above the Chilika lake on Saturday.

Arakhakuda Marine police station in Puri district registered the case after the Chilika Development Authority, the regulatory body for the lake, filed a complaint.

The CDA's assistant conservator of forest Binod Acharya on Monday said the CDA, in the complaint, mentioned that a white chopper had tried to land on the lake water. It also mentioned that such act by the pilot not only frightened the local community, but also endangered the life of tourists.

"The chopper entered the eco-sensitive zone unauthorisedly and endangered the life of human beings and wildlife of the lake. So, we decided to lodge a police complaint against the pilot," said the CDA's additional chief executive Sasmita Lenka.

The police have registered a case under sections 277 (fouling water of public spring or reservoir), 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 11 (penalty for flying so as to cause danger) of the Aircraft Act, 1934.

The police said they would investigate to ascertain whether the chopper belonged to the coast guard, which is entrusted with the job of patrolling the coastline.

"We will also investigate the possible involvement of any private chopper," said a police officer.

The incident, however, has refuelled the speculation of water aerodrome project in the lake, which was recently scrapped by the ministry of civil aviation. The proposed water aerodrome had also snowballed into a political blame game.