An aeroplane-shaped balloon marked ‘PIA’ was reportedly recovered in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, officials said.
The red-and-white aeroplane-shaped balloon had Urdu text, reading ‘PIA’. It was found in Sarhoti village under the Dharamsal police station, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.
Locals spotted the object and alerted the authorities, following which officers from Police Post Teryath reached the site, secured and seized the balloon. The Rajouri Police later said that no electrical or electronic components were found affixed to the balloon, news agency ANI reported.
On February 23, two balloons with a ₹5,000 Pakistani currency note and a US dollar were recovered from the Akhnoor sector’s Gunara village in Jammu.
Those balloons were also red and white. Additionally, officials at the time said the balloons were carrying a Pakistani mobile number and a QR code, adding that they likely drifted to the Indian side of the International Border from the Pakistani side.
Balloons landing in the Indian territory from Pakistan have now become a routine occurrence in the border belts.
Earlier in February, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized 16 red balloons that had crossed over from Pakistan and landed in the fields in the Ramgarh sector of the Samba district, officials added.
A balloon with the name of Pakistan International Airlines was also found inside an Air Force technical area in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra in February.
Assistant commissioner of police Gaurav Singh said a case was registered on February 12 at Shahganj police station following a complaint from the Indian Air Force.
“A balloon shaped like an aircraft, coloured green and white, was found in the technical area of the Air Force premises,” he said, adding that a thread was also attached to the balloon.
The official, however, clarified that no device or suspicious material was found in the balloon.
Drone intrusions attempts along LoC
Additionally, the Indian Army thwarted multiple drone intrusion attempts in the Poonch district over the weekend, along the Line of Control (LoC).
The army successfully foiled an attempt by at least two small quadcopters to violate the Indian airspace along the LoC, news agency ANI reported, citing officials.
Reportedly, there have been multiple drone sightings along the LoC and International Border in recent days, with the Indian Army intensifying surveillance and monitoring to counter future attempts.
