Two balloons, one with a Pakistani ₹5,000 note and the other with a US dollar attached, were recovered from a forward village in the Akhnoor sector near Jammu, Monday, PTI reported, citing officials.
White and red balloons shaped like an airplane were discovered stuck on a tree in Gunara village, located in the Khour border belt, they added.
The balloons, which also carried a Pakistani mobile number and a QR code, seem to have drifted across the International Border from the Pakistani side, the officials said.
Although balloons landing from Pakistan are common in the border areas, this is the first instance of discovering foreign currency notes attached to them.
The BSF seized 16 red balloons on Sunday that had crossed over from the Pakistan side and landed in the fields in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district, the officials said.
On Sunday evening, a rusted grenade was discovered in the Dharyalla forest area within the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, they added.
Balloons recovered in December
In December, Himachal Pradesh police contacted their counterparts in Punjab and Rajasthan to determine the source of several balloons marked with PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) or the Pakistani flag that had been seen in various districts of the state over the past few weeks.
Police have also reached out to the officials of the Indian Air Force for the same.
“So far, no suspicious devices such as gadgets, surveillance devices, trackers or materials have been found inside these balloons. We have contacted our counterparts in states sharing a border with Pakistan where similar balloons were found to get their insights,” PTI quoted the police.
Although no FIR has been registered in this case, the police are investigating the matter by inquiring with local vendors about the origin of these balloons.
Residents of Motel Village under Daulatpur police post were alarmed after a balloon shaped like an airplane with ‘PIA’ written on it was discovered on a villager’s roof. After receiving the information, the police team reached the location and seized the balloon.
As a precaution, police also checked the surrounding areas to rule out the presence of any other suspicious objects.
On December 8, three similar balloons were discovered in Tatehra village, Gagret sub-division. They featured the Pakistani flag and the message “I Love Pakistan.” Additionally, similar balloons were discovered in Hamirpur and Kangra districts last year.
