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IAF Sukhoi jets shoot down suspected Pakistani balloon over Jaisalmer after security alert
Reliable sources in IAF added that the object was detected by radars at 25,000 feet. At first, two Mi-17 choppers were launched to engage the object but since it was flying at a level higher than the helicopters could go, two Sukhoi-30 jets flew from Jodhpur airbase to get it.
Updated : Jan 28, 2016, 08:05 AM IST
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The suspicious object flying over Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday, that led to Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets and helicopters scramble for it and shoot it down, turned out to be a helium-filled balloon with 'Happy Birthday' written on it.
IAF said in a statement on Wednesday that "On 26 Jan, an IAF radar had picked up an unidentified flying object moving easterly in Jaisalmer area. A fighter jet intercepted the object which was found to be a balloon of about 3-metre diameter. Due to heightened security alert, the balloon was shot down as it would have been carrying unknown payload."
"However, on analysis of the debris, it was established that there was no dangerous payload," the IAF release said further.
Reliable sources in IAF added that the object was detected by radars at 25,000 feet. At first, two Mi-17 choppers were launched to engage the object but since it was flying at a level higher than the helicopters could go, two Sukhoi-30 jets flew from Jodhpur airbase to get it.
"The balloon was shot down within 15 minutes of it being detected and a total of 97 rounds were fired from the aircraft," said a source.
Even as sources said that the balloon came from across the India-Pakistan border, defence minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters here, "Our radars picked up a shiny flying object entering our air space. A fighter jet was quickly scrambled which intercepted it and shot it down". He, however, refused to elaborate further.
The IAF said that it is investigating reports of cracks in some houses at Gugdi town in the neighboring Barmer district even as residents claimed it happened due to "bombs" that were dropped from fighters.
A source, however, said what was found at Gugdi were used bullets, probably ones fired by the fighters to shoot down the balloon. "Since a full alert was launched, the fighters attained high speed at low altitudes. There could be a case of a sonic boom which are vibrations that happen when fighters go beyond the speed of sound. It has the potential to damage structures and even human eardrums," he said.
