New Delhi [India]: In the midst of increasing friction with Pakistan, drones were detected at 26 different locations across India’s border regions—from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south—along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC), according to defence sources on Friday.
The drones are believed to be armed, raising concerns over potential attacks on both civilian and military installations.
Drones were spotted in various locations including Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala.
In one alarming incident, an armed drone struck a civilian area in Punjab’s Ferozpur, causing severe injuries to members of a local family. The injured were given immediate medical treatment, and security forces have since sanitized the area.
The Indian Armed Forces are on high alert, actively monitoring the skies and deploying counter-drone systems to neutralize aerial threats. Defence officials have stated that the situation is being closely monitored, with swift responses implemented as needed.
Residents in border areas have been urged to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary movements, and comply with instructions from local authorities. While officials emphasized there is no need to panic, they advised people to exercise heightened caution.
As a preventive measure, villages in Gujarat’s Patan district, specifically in the border-facing Santalpur taluka, are under blackout conditions.
In a statement posted on X, the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office said:
“As a precautionary measure, a blackout has been imposed in the villages of bordering Santalpur taluka in Patan district. All the citizens are advised to stay away from rumours and follow the instructions issued by the administration from time to time,” CMO Gujarat said.
This renewed drone activity comes just a day after the Indian air defence thwarted an earlier attempt by Pakistan to target civilian infrastructure along the LoC and International Border. On Friday, drones from Pakistan were again seen in the Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot sectors.
Eyewitnesses in Jammu’s Samba sector reported visible red streaks and explosions as Indian air defences intercepted the drones during the blackout.
Similar blackout measures have been imposed in the Akhnoor and Udhampur areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
India had earlier conducted precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation for an escalation initiated by Pakistan through a terror attack in Pahalgam. The Indian Defence Forces continue to respond appropriately to the latest provocations.