Residents across border districts in Punjab including Amritsar, Pathankot, and Ferozepur, spent a tense night on Thursday as authorities enforced a complete blackout in response to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Blackouts were also imposed in Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and other regions, with power supply cut off in Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana for about two hours until midnight.
The precautionary measures followed a fresh wave of attempted attacks by Pakistan on Thursday night.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Pakistan launched a coordinated offensive using drones and missiles to target military sites in multiple Indian cities, including Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur. The Indian armed forces swiftly intercepted the threats, successfully thwarting the strikes.
The targeted locations included 15 cities across northern and western India, among them Srinagar, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.
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)