Many Indian cities near the Pakistan border saw a total blackout amid raging air raid sirens as Pakistan sent swarm drones, which were intercepted by India.
On the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, Indian forces thwarted several Pakistani missile strikes on cities along the India-Pakistan border. As many as 50 drones were neutralised by Indian Army Air Defence Units in border areas such as Udhampur, Jammu, Akhnoor and more.
The Pakistani military attempted to target as many as 15 cities in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, which Pakistan shares a border with, according to the defence ministry. The cities include – Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai and Bhuj.
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Many of these cities experienced a total blackout amid raging air raid sirens as Pakistan sent swarm drones, which were intercepted by India. The border states are on high alert ever since the military tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, with schools closed in several cities and people stocking up on rations for emergencies.
Here is all you need to know:
- All educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, have been closed in Jammu and Kashmir till Monday as military conflict with Pakistan escalates.
- Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, who headed to Jammu this morning to take stock of the on-ground situation, said that a decision about whether the closure of schools in the state will be extended or not will be taken on Monday after reviewing the situation.
- Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, schools in Leh have also been closed on Friday and Saturday (May 9, 10). “All government and private schools in Leh district shall remain closed for the next two days,” said Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Santosh Sukhdeva.
- In Patiala, all educational institutions have been closed until further notice, and people have been asked to remain calm and stay indoors after last night’s horror. People have been asked to not step outside unless absolutely necessary.
- Chandigarh has yet again received an air warning of a possible attack from the Air Force station, according to the city’s deputy commissioner. Air sirens are being sounded and people have been advised to remain inside and keep away from balconies.
- A similar warning has been issued in Mohali by the city’s Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal, urging people to stay indoors and avoid windows and glass panes. Patrolling has been intensified at key locations across both Chandigarh and Mohali.
- In Pathankot too, people have been asked to stay indoors and follow the blackout protocols by the city’s Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal. Apart from that, blackouts were also enforced in Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, and Haryana’s Panchkula, as a precautionary measure.
- Still reeling from the horror of last night, labourers from outside in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri and other civilians left for safer places. Visuals show that several shops near Uri were damaged last night. In Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, life has taken a slow turn since Friday morning with less traffic on roads and educational institutions closed.
- In Punjab and Haryana, the Bar Council has announced no-work day in the courts of both states and their capital Chandigarh due to prevailing conditions. “We request all Bar associations to observe this resolution and ensure safety of all,” BCPH chairman Rakesh Gupta said in a message to district Bar Associations.
- Haryana’s Ambala city has received an air warning from the Air force station of possible attack and sirens have been sounded. People have been advised to stay indoors and keep away from balconies.
The article originally appeared on Hindustan Times
