DELHI – Indian police in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir took an aircraft-shaped balloon with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) name on it into custody.
According to India’s ANI news agency, the action was taken after the balloon bearing ‘PIA’ name on it found in Sotra Chak village of Hiranagar sector on Tuesday evening.
It was first noticed by locals in the village who instantly informed the police. The balloon has been seized while an investigation in this regard has been initiated.
It is not the first bizarre incident as Indian forces have been arresting pigeons and other objects in the past over espionage suspicions.
Last year, Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) captured two pigeons in occupied Kashmir, claiming they were on spying mission.
In 2015, a pigeon was captured by Indian forces for crossing the Indo-Pak border into India’s Pathankot area.
The incident of balloon seizure has sparked frenzy on social media. Here are some reactions:
https://twitter.com/DennisCricket_/status/1369561532351193088
Taken into custody 😂😂 https://t.co/1S2DseyNeU
— Safia Abdullah Khan (@safiakhan71) March 10, 2021
A fleet of #PIA balloons, inducted alongside Pigeon squadron, to spy on India. https://t.co/Z5Q9kXG2yS
— Saad Rasool (@SaadRasooll) March 10, 2021
