Parts of a Pakistani drone were recovered from Kanganiwal village in rural Jalandhar, Punjab, on Saturday after a powerful blast rocked the area during a blackout imposed due to heightened cross-border tensions.
Surjeet Kaur, a local resident whose home was damaged, described the terrifying moment: “A red flash came over our house followed by a massive explosion. We were scared and everything went dark. Later, we found the water tanks on our house and the neighbour’s were destroyed.”
The incident was part of a larger wave of drone attacks and explosions as Pakistan targeted 26 locations across India. In immediate retaliation, Indian Armed Forces launched precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), sources told ANI.
According to the Ministry of Defence, drones were sighted at 26 strategic locations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC), including Baramulla, Srinagar, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, and Fazilka. Many of these drones are believed to have been armed.
One such armed drone struck a civilian locality in Punjab’s Ferozpur, injuring members of a local family. The area has since been secured and sanitised by Indian security forces.
Explosions were also reported in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur and Rajouri, damaging homes and infrastructure. Loud blasts echoed across Akhnoor and Dibber, adding to the chaos as security forces remained on high alert.
Amid the ongoing crisis, citizens in affected areas have been urged to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary movement, and strictly follow all safety advisories. Officials have reassured that while the situation is under control, continued vigilance is crucial.
This latest escalation follows the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people and prompted the launch of Operation Sindoor, under which India has already dismantled multiple terror camps across the border.