Blackout, air raid sirens at many places
NEW DELHI/
CHANDIGARH, May 9:
It was a second straight night of darkness and fear for locals of several districts on India’s western border as sirens wailed on Friday upon spotting of aerial threats from Pakistan that were effectively engaged by the armed forces.
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From Punjab’s multiple districts to Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, and parts of Gujarat, a vast stretch of the border areas plunged into darkness with public announcements made, urging people to switch off lights as a precautionary measure.
Blasts were heard in Pathankot, Ferozepur and Jaisalmer. Residents in Punjab’s Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran’s Patti area too reported sound of explosions, although there was no official confirmation on its cause.
Air raid sirens blared in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts, sending people into a tizzy. Officials said a blackout was enforced in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka, Muktsar and Sangrur.
It was the second consecutive night of blackout amid the sound of blasts for Pathankot residents.
“Keep lights switched off. Keep the lights of mobile phones, cameras and inverter sets switched off. Cover windows with curtains. Cooperate with the district administration. We are for here your safety,” and official announcement was sounded in the district.
In Hoshiarpur, the district administration enforced the blackout at 8:15 pm with Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain urging people to stay indoors and not to panic.
Drones were sighted a day after India thwarted attempts by the Pakistan military to attack Indian military installations using drones and missiles.
Multiple aerial threats coming from Pakistan were intercepted in Jaisalmer for a second consecutive night, prompting security forces to issue a red alert and clamp blackouts in several border districts, creating panic among residents.
Sirens rang out in Pokaran, and a complete blackout was imposed in the region. The blackout in Jodhpur, originally scheduled to begin at midnight, was implemented immediately. Barmer, Sriganganagar, and Phalodi also went completely dark.
In Gujarat, a blackout was imposed in the entire Kutch district, power supply was cut off in some areas of Banaskantha and Patan districts. People in parts of Kutch and Banaskantha endured a seven-hour-long blackout on Thursday night.
The border districts had woken up to a tense morning, hung heavy with the wail of air raid sirens and foreboding of what the day would bring. Schools remained shut as did most businesses.
Some locals said that though they were anxious, they were confident as India’s armed forces were swiftly thwarting Pakistan’s attempts. Pathankot resident Jarnail Singh lauded the government for foiling Pakistan’s attempt to hit areas in the border district on Thursday night.
Pawan Kumar, a resident of Amritsar, said, “While we spent an anxious night, things were back to routine during the day.”
A few residents in Ferozepur told PTI Videos that they were more apprehensive of the rumours making the rounds. In Bathinda, a local told PTI Videos, “Gunshots kept up till midnight as we sat home in a complete blackout. We spent the night in fear, but things were calm in the morning.”
Prayers for peace were held in some Gurdwaras in Punjab’s Mohali and Rupnagar.
Baldev Chand, an elderly man in Chandigarh who stuck to his routine morning walk on Friday, said while there were some anxious moments the previous night, there was nothing to worry about given the way the Indian armed forces thwarted Pakistan’s attempts.
The UT administration later sounded a fresh air raid siren, appealing to people to remain indoors.
“An air warning has been received from the Air Force station of a possible attack. Sirens are being sounded. All are advised to remain indoors and stay away from balconies,” an official statement said.
About an hour later, the administration said the siren for the alert was over.
Sirens were blared in Haryana’s Panchkula and Ambala for a brief while, appealing to people to stay indoors. The district administration in Patiala issued an advisory, urging people to stay indoors and remain calm. (PTI)
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