NEW DELHI: A Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) shot down on Tuesday a balloon-like suspicious object in Rajasthan, sources said.

IAF officials said the object was flying in from the western sector (implying Pakistani side) and was shot down on Tuesday morning.

“Between 10:30am and 11am today, an unidentified balloon-shaped object was picked up by IAF radar. An IAF fighter was launched which intercepted the object and brought it down. Further investigation is under way,” an IAF spokesperson said.

Also read: Pakistan military shoots down Indian 'spy drone'

No one was hurt nor was any damage caused to the property in the area, the spokesman in Jaipur said.

The incident happened in Barmer, nearly 500km from Rajasthan capital Jaipur, where some villagers reported an incident of some metal pieces falling down from the sky.

Police said a team led by additional SP Jassaram Bose found about some pieces of metallic objects. These pieces were handed over to IAF, police said.

By arrangement with the Times of India

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2016