Nahan (HP), March 22 Panic gripped the village of Bakhog in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday when a balloon bearing markings seemingly linked to Pakistan was spotted in the fields.
The balloon, which featured the acronym "PIA" in green, along with other symbols that appeared to be associated with Pakistan, was spotted by locals, Lokendra Thakur and his wife, while they were heading towards the fields.
After receiving information, teams of police and administrative officers rushed to the spot. Following a preliminary investigation, the police described the object as a regular toy balloon and ruled out any possibility of a security threat.
Rajgarh DSP Vidyachand Negi said that, prima facie, the balloon does not appear suspicious and there is no need for the public to panic. He also appealed to the public to immediately inform the administration if they come across any suspicious objects anywhere.
Such balloons had also been spotted in the Una, Bilaspur, and Kangra districts earlier.
Sources said that such balloons are frequently sighted along the India-Pakistan border, particularly in the Jammu and Kashmir region, where they are released for purposes ranging from publicity and conveying religious messages to general recreational activities.
Given the strong winds blowing across the region over the past few days, officials said there is a possibility that the balloon travelled a long distance due to the winds, eventually reaching here.