An airplane-shaped balloon marked ‘PIA’ was found in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, officials said.
The red and white airplane-shaped balloon had Urdu text reading “PIA”. She was found in Sarhoti village under Dharamsal police station, PTI reported, citing officials.
Local residents spotted the object and informed the authorities, after which officers from Triath Police Station arrived at the site, secured the balloon and confiscated it. Rajouri Police later said that no electrical or electronic components were found installed on the balloon, news agency ANI reported.
On February 23, two balloons worth ₹ were launched5000 Pakistani currency and US dollars”> $5,000 Pakistani coins and US dollars were recovered from Junara village of Akhnoor sector in Jammu.
Those balloons were also red and white. Additionally, officials at the time said the balloons had a Pakistani mobile phone number and a QR code on them, adding that they most likely drifted to the Indian side of the international border from the Pakistani side.
Landing of balloons into Indian territory from Pakistan has become a routine event in the border belts.
Earlier in February, the Border Security Forces seized 16 red balloons that crossed from Pakistan and landed in fields in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, the officials added.
A balloon bearing the name of Pakistan International Airlines was also found inside an Air Force technical area in Agra, Uttar Pradesh in February.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Gaurav Singh said that a case was registered on February 12 at Shahganj police station following a complaint from the Indian Air Force.
“An airplane-shaped balloon, colored green and white, was found in the technical area of the Air Force headquarters,” he added, adding that a string was also tied to the balloon.
However, the official explained that no suspicious device or material was found in the balloon.
Attempts to intrude drones along the Line of Control
Additionally, the Indian Army foiled several attempts to infiltrate drones in the Poonch district over the weekend, along the Line of Control.
The army successfully thwarted an attempt by at least two small planes to violate Indian airspace along the Line of Control, news agency ANI reported, citing officials.
Multiple drones have reportedly been sighted along the Line of Control and the international border in recent days, with the Indian Army stepping up surveillance and surveillance to counter future attempts.
