On Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor was completely blacked out. Explosions and sirens could be heard in the area.
Earlier, a blackout was imposed on Saturday after some drones were reportedly spotted in Punjab’s Jalandhar. “We have imposed a blackout for some time as a few drones have been reportedly sighted in Jalandhar. Forces are checking. Please be calm and follow blackout protocol,” DC Jalandhar said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army retaliated strongly in the Jammu sector in response to the drone attacks on Indian cities by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), Defence Sources said on Saturday. Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, drones were spotted at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south, along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday.
The drones are suspected to be armed and pose potential threats to both civilian and military targets. The locations where drones were spotted include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala. In a serious incident, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Punjab’s Ferozpur, severely injuring members of a local family. The injured received immediate medical assistance, and the area has been sanitised by security forces.
The Indian Armed Forces are on high alert. All aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. Defence sources said the situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. A day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and International border was foiled by the Indian air defence, Pakistan’s drones were again sighted in the Jammu, Samba, Pathankot sectors on Friday. Red streaks could be seen, and explosions were heard in the Samba sector of Jammu as India’s air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid a blackout. A blackout has been enforced in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor and Udhampur regions. India had responded through precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK to the original escalation by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has now resorted to escalation, which is being responded to appropriately by the Indian Defence Forces.
