Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jan 18: People living at Tingalady in Kedambady in the taluk grew anxious on Saturday January 17 evening, after finding a strange-looking object connected with wires that had fallen down on the outskirts of the village. After a thorough check however, the officials found it to be the balloon kit meant for measurement of weather changes.

On Saturday, some people noticed that a box from which wires were jutting out, and a lump of tarpaulin (balloon) joined to it, had been deposited near a guest house belonging to Anand from Master Plenary Puttur. Someone guessed it to be a bomb, considering its appearance and wires. The rumours seemed to get credence as a large scale programme had been held in the town the previous day, and trouble was expected to brew.

After they came to know about this strange object, Sampya police reached the spot. Additional police, who had been summoned for managing law and order situation during Virat Hindu Hridaya Sangama, were also asked to assist the local police. Bomb disposal squad and canine squads also undertook verification.

At the end, it became clear that it was a weather balloon kit flown from Panambur as a routine exercise for studying weather. The locals heaved a sigh of relief thereafter.