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Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Indian Express
As drones fall from sky, Punjab authorities advise curious residents: ‘Don't touch, no matter what'
After multiple drone sightings and explosions were reported across Punjab's border districts Friday night, authorities have cautioned people against touching objects falling from the skies, no matter how big or small they are. This was after the authorities noticed several incidents of people, mostly in villages, gathering around these drones/missile-like objects and touching them out of curiosity. The residents should immediately inform the police or call the district helpline number instead of touching the objects, as they might explode, said officials. Remnants of drones have been discovered not only in border districts like Ferozepur and Amritsar, but also in central districts of Punjab such as Jalandhar, Bathinda, and Hoshiarpur. This comes as Pakistan continues to target border states in northwestern India in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, in which Indian armed forces hit terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok) after midnight on May 6. India Saturday said Pakistan's military attempted air intrusions at more than 26 locations from Srinagar to Nalia, which the Indian military was able to 'neutralise'. In an advisory issued by the district administration in Pathankot, a border district where loud explosions are heard at regular intervals, Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal noted that it has been observed that people not only touch suspicious objects but some also attempt to carry them away, physically explore them, or even take them to their homes. 'We strictly advise people not to touch it at any cost, as it has the potential to explode. Strict legal action will be taken against any such individual,' said the deputy commissioner. 'They should maintain a safe distance from that object. We know that it invokes curiosity among the people, but it is only for their own safety that they should not try to remove or carry it here and there on their own. Let police or army teams handle it. People should only inform police or administration as responsible citizens,' said Uppal. In one such video from Punjab's Jalandhar, people were seen exploring and touching the internal parts of a suspected missile. In an advisory, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said: 'If a drone crashes near you, do not go near it. Immediately inform your nearest police station about the drone crash. In addition, you can also inform the police control room at 112 or the district administration's control room at 0181-2224417.' The Punjab Police helpline number for reporting such incidents statewide is 112. On people clicking photos and videos of the drones/debris, a senior Punjab Police officer said: 'Though it is not advisable, but still we cannot stop people from clicking photos or recording videos as they grow curious and want to record the incident. However, the most important instruction they must follow is not to touch that object/debris at any cost. It holds the potential to explode anytime. Just stay away from it and inform the police.' At least three people from one family suffered serious injuries after a drone-like object fell on a house in Khai Feme ke village of the border district Ferozepur late Friday night. According to a Punjab Police officer, at least four big craters have also been found in the fields in different districts, which are being probed. Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Punjab. Her interest lies in exploring both news and feature stories, with an effort to reflect human interest at the heart of each piece. She writes on gender issues, education, politics, Sikh diaspora, heritage, the Partition among other subjects. She has also extensively covered issues of minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. She also explores the legacy of India's partition and distinct stories from both West and East Punjab. She is a gold medalist from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, the most revered government institute for media studies in India, from where she pursued English Journalism (Print). Her research work on 'Role of micro-blogging platform Twitter in content generation in newspapers' had won accolades at IIMC. She had started her career in print journalism with Hindustan Times before switching to The Indian Express in 2012. Her investigative report in 2019 on gender disparity while treating women drug addicts in Punjab won her the Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity in 2020. She won another Laadli for her ground report on the struggle of two girls who ride a boat to reach their school in the border village of Punjab. ... Read More
New Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Drones, blackouts, and sirens: People spend anxious night in border Punjab districts
These attempted strikes came just a day after the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precision missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This operation was in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. In Pathankot, some residents reported hearing explosion-like sounds on Thursday night, although no official confirmation was issued. Air raid sirens were activated around 8:30 p.m., and a complete blackout was enforced. By Friday morning, however, the situation remained calm. Similar scenes played out in other border districts like Amritsar and Ferozepur, where residents expressed initial anxiety but praised the armed forces for their quick and effective response. In Chandigarh, despite the blackout and tense atmosphere, daily life began returning to normal on Friday. Baldev Chand, an elderly local resident, resumed his morning walk, saying, 'There were some anxious moments last night, but the way our forces handled the situation makes us feel secure.' Authorities across Punjab urged residents to stay indoors, switch off lights, and follow blackout protocols. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal emphasized the importance of remaining calm and vigilant. In addition to the blackout in major cities, power cuts were enforced in Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, Patiala, and Panchkula in Haryana as precautionary steps to ensure public safety. In light of the heightened security situation, the Punjab government has ordered the closure of all schools and educational institutions for the next three days. Chandigarh authorities have also shut all schools until Saturday. (With input from PTI)
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Blackout enforced in Punjab districts; drones neutralised in Jalandhar
A blackout was observed in several districts of Punjab including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Rupnagar, Fazilka, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, and also the Union Territory Chandigarh on Thursday (May 9, 2025) night according to officials. The move came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan. In Jalandhar, some drones were spotted that neutralised at around 11.20 p.m. by security forces, as per official sources. In Pathankot district, some locals claimed they heard explosion-like sounds. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard. "There was loud noise, like sounds of bombing, and also non-stop sirens. It was too scary," said a resident of Sujanpur in Pathankot. Air raid warning sirens were activated in Pathankot where the blackout was enforced around 8.30 p.m. Also read | Schools shut across border districts in Punjab and Rajasthan following 'Operation Sindoor' Authorities appealed to people to keep their lights switched off and stay at home. They also said there was no need to panic. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal asked citizens in the border district to remain inside their homes and follow the protocols of the blackout. Officials said the blackout was enforced as a precautionary measure to ensure safety of citizens. Meanwhile, the Mohali district administration declared jurisdiction of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar as 'No Flying Zone' for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Also read | IPL 2025 PBKS-DC clash called off amid blackout in Dharamsala District Magistrate, SAS Nagar, Komal Mittal while exercising the power conferred upon under section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, ordered that the whole jurisdiction of SAS Nagar shall be "No Flying Zone" with effect from May 8 till July 5. However, this order shall not be applicable on law enforcement agencies --police, paramilitary, air force, SPG personnel and persons authorized by competent government authority. Punjab is in alert mode with schools in border districts closed and leaves of all police personnel cancelled, officials said a day after India struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. (With inputs from PTI)
The Print
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Blackout enforced in many places in Punjab; drones spotted in Jalandhar, neutralised
In Jalandhar, some drones were spotted but were neutralised around 11:20 pm by security forces, said officials. The move comes amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan. Chandigarh, May 8 (PTI) A blackout was enforced in several districts of Punjab like Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Mohali and also the Union Territory Chandigarh on Thursday evening, officials said. In Pathankot district, some locals claimed they heard explosion-like sounds. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard. 'There was loud noise, like sounds of bombing, and also non-stop sirens. It was too scary,' said a resident of Sujanpur in Pathankot. Air raid warning sirens were activated in Pathankot where the blackout was enforced around 8:30 pm. Authorities appealed to people to keep their lights switched off and stay at home. They also said there was no need to panic. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal asked citizens in the border district to remain inside their homes and follow the protocols of the blackout. The blackout was enforced in some other parts including Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, Patiala and Haryana's Panchkula. Officials said the blackout was enforced as a precautionary measure to ensure safety of citizens. Meanwhile, the Mohali district administration declared jurisdiction of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar as 'No Flying Zone' for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). District Magistrate, SAS Nagar, Komal Mittal while exercising the power conferred upon under section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, ordered that the whole jurisdiction of SAS Nagar shall be 'No Flying Zone' with effect from May 8 till July 5. However, this order shall not be applicable on law enforcement agencies –police, paramilitary, air force, SPG personnel and persons authorized by competent government authority. Punjab is in alert mode with schools in border districts closed and leaves of all police personnel cancelled, officials said a day after India struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Tensions escalated after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke, in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam. On Thursday night, India swiftly thwarted Pakistan's fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles including in Jammu and Pathankot after foiling similar bids at 15 places in northern and western regions of the country. PTI CHS SUN VSD ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab on alert: All-night blackout at Gurdaspur, fireworks ban in 6 districts
Amid escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border following Operation Sindoor, authorities in Punjab's Gurdaspur ordered a district-wide blackout starting Thursday night. Meanwhile, the deputy commissioners in six Punjab border districts imposed a ban on the use of fireworks. The deputy commissioner of Gurdaspur issued an order on Thursday, saying that a blackout will be held in the district from 9 pm to 5 am, starting tonight, until further orders. However, no blackout will be conducted in cantonment zones or military areas. Other districts clarified that blackouts will be imposed based on real-time alerts from the Army or Air Force. 'Blackouts will be conducted based on alerts from the Army or Air Force, but precautionary measures will be taken immediately for public safety,' Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner Rahul said. Similar inputs were shared by administration officials from Sangrur, Patiala, Faridkot, Jalandhar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, and Pathankot. 'Considering the recent developments, we cannot take things lightly. The public must follow blackout protocols. The midnight blackout conducted on May 7-8 was a signal to make people aware that such situations may arise at any time following a siren,' said Aditya Uppal, Deputy Commissioner of Pathankot. Himanshu Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar, added, 'Blackouts will be enforced as and when red alerts are issued by the Air Force or Army.' Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur echoed a similar stance. Recent information released by the Ministry of Defence has further heightened public concern. According to the update, potential air attacks on Amritsar, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, and Bathinda were neutralised by the Indian Air Force during the night of May 7-8. 'After hearing this, we can expect regular blackouts to become the norm,' a resident from Sangrur said. In Amritsar, task force formed to curb hoarding Meanwhile, Sakshi Sahni, the deputy commissioner of Amritsar, announced a complete ban on the use of fireworks — including aerial crackers and Chinese firecrackers — during weddings, celebrations, and religious events within the district. This measure, enacted under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, is intended to prevent public panic and maintain law and order. The ban will remain in effect until further notice, the order said. To curb hoarding and black marketing of essential items such as food, petrol, diesel, fodder, and other daily necessities, Sahni formed a special task force and also released helpline numbers for public assistance. The task force will be led by the district food supply controller and the district mandi officer, who have been directed to take strict action to prevent black marketing, hoarding, and artificial shortage of goods in the district. As per the issued guidelines, this team will conduct inspections and take immediate action against any individual or institution found involved in unethical trade practices. Sahni stated that uninterrupted access to essential items at fair prices will be ensured, especially for the vulnerable sections of society. She further clarified that no individual, trader, or organisation will be allowed to hoard essential goods such as grains and related items, fodder, milk and dairy products, petrol, diesel, and other fuels. Any violation in this regard will be dealt with strictly, the order said. The deputy commissioner assured that there is no shortage of essential items and appealed to the public not to panic or resort to hoarding, and gave assurance that the administration is fully prepared to maintain supply stability across the district. Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner of Tarn Taran issued orders for all government, aided, and private schools in the district to remain closed from May 8 to May 11. This decision has been made to ensure the safety of the children, the order said. * Install thick blackout curtains or blinds on all windows. * Prepare your home to operate without lights during the blackout. * Use light-blocking materials like dark cloth or cardboard. * Ensure outdoor lights are switched off during drills. * Test your preparedness by simulating a blackout with family members. * Familiarise yourself with the air raid siren sounds (e.g., long wails for alerts, short bursts for all-clear). * Identify the nearest shelter locations, such as basements, underground car parks, or designated safe zones. * Keep a basic emergency kit ready, including a torch with extra batteries, water bottles, non-perishable food items, first aid kit etc * Immediately stop outdoor activities and proceed to the nearest shelter. * Avoid using phones unless necessary to keep communication lines free for emergencies. * Follow instructions from authorities or wardens present in the area.
