Residents of Markhandi village in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district experienced a scare on Wednesday evening when a radiosonde, an atmospheric measurement device marked with “Malaysia Meteorological Department,” fell from the sky. This incident sparked panic among the locals, prompting them to report their concerns to the police, fearing it might be an explosive device.
The device was discovered in a residential area, leading villagers to flee toward agricultural fields out of apprehension. Begamganj Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sonal Gupta noted that the villagers believed the item could pose a threat and quickly informed the authorities.
Upon receiving the alert, a police team responded and secured the area. They confirmed that the object was not an explosive but a telemetry instrument used for measuring atmospheric parameters. Gupta explained that the radiosonde is typically carried into the atmosphere by a weather balloon and operates with a battery. It collects important data such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, and speed, sending the information back via radio signals from an altitude of roughly 15 to 20 kilometers.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the device bore an inscription indicating its Malaysian origin. Police hypothesize that it may have traveled thousands of kilometers to India from Malaysia, propelled by strong winds and upper-atmosphere jet streams. Authorities have advised locals to avoid touching any similar devices they might encounter and to report them promptly to the police.
Officials emphasized that such radiosondes can land hundreds of kilometers from their initial launch point, highlighting their significant role in meteorological studies and atmospheric data collection.
Original Source: https://tripurachronicle.in/national-news/madhya-pradesh-telemetry-device-with-malaysia-met-dept-tag-falls-from-sky-in-raisen-sparks-panic/
Category: National News
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Publish Date: 2026-01-29 16:54:00
