An unusual aerial mystery has authorities in Himachal Pradesh on alert. Police are investigating a series of incidents where balloons marked with 'Pakistan' in Urdu or the initials 'PIA' have been found, primarily in the Una district. The discoveries, often made after dark, have sparked concerns and a multi-agency probe to rule out any potential security threats.
Police Launch Multi-Pronged Investigation
The Himachal Police have initiated a detailed inquiry into the appearance of these mysterious balloons. Despite the state being separated from Pakistan by Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, the consistent findings have raised eyebrows. Officers have contacted police forces in neighbouring Punjab and Rajasthan, states that have reported similar sightings along the Pakistan border.
To address fears of espionage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) was called in to examine the balloons. In a previous incident a few months ago in Brahampur village, IAF officials inspected a similar balloon and confirmed it carried no hidden chips or spying devices. This assessment has been reiterated after the recent finds.
Una Superintendent of Police, Amit Yadav, stated that they are in touch with other states to compare findings. Meanwhile, the police have also inspected local balloon manufacturing units and vendors to trace the origin. However, SP Yadav admitted, "So far, we have not got any clue that the balloons were either manufactured in the state or were being sold here." No First Information Report (FIR) has been registered yet, but a formal investigation is ongoing.
Villagers on Edge, Discoveries After Dark
The latest incident occurred in Chalet village, where resident Sachdev Singh, also known as Pappu Lambardar, found one such balloon on his rooftop on a Saturday morning. His younger son made the discovery. "I had heard about such balloons being found, but I never imagined one would land on my rooftop," Singh said. The balloon, deflated and with a thread tied around its neck, was promptly reported to the police.
The pattern of these balloons landing at night adds to the unease. "Why are these balloons landing during night hours? And if these are being sent from Pakistan, how much time would they have taken to reach Una?" questioned Singh. Police assured him there was no cause for worry.
Almost 21 km away in Tahera village, another similar balloon was found abandoned in a field just days before the Chalet incident. Gram Pradhan Indu Bala reported it to the police, who initially called it a 'normal' balloon. Bala, however, remains concerned: "I asked them how a balloon could travel so far to our village, without getting entangled with anything in between."
Heightened Vigilance in Border Districts
In response to the mysterious arrivals, local administrations have advised heightened vigilance. Village panchayats have instructed residents to monitor strangers and restrict entry to unauthorized vendors. Arun Thakur, a member of Chalet's gram panchayat, said they have decided to strictly follow directives requiring any vendor to have verified permission from the district administration.
Similarly, in Tahera, the panchayat has resolved not to allow outsiders into the village without proper police verification. This caution stems from the unexplained nature of the balloons' journey. Police sources admit they may never know how far the balloons travelled or if they were filled with helium, as they were found deflated. The recovered balloons are currently stored in police malkhanas (storage rooms).
This is not the first such incident in the region. In May last year, a balloon with 'PIA' markings was found in Suliali village in Kangra district. A senior officer at the State Police Headquarters in Shimla confirmed they are aware of the matter and are investigating, with the geographical proximity of Una and Kangra to Pakistan-bordering Punjab forming a key line of inquiry. The officer also noted reports of such balloons being found in border states Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir.
For some, these sightings recall Operation Sindoor, launched by India after the Pahalgam attack. The discoveries also follow the recovery of parts of a guided missile, drone components, and shell fragments in Kangra and Una districts on May 10, adding a layer of seriousness to the current balloon mystery that remains, quite literally, up in the air.
