Indo-Pak war: Blackouts across 6 states after India thwarts second wave of Pakistan drone attacks

Explosions, sirens and drone sightings triggered blackouts across multiple states on Friday (May 09) night, as India heightened security following repeated failed attempts by Pakistan to target military and civilian areas via drones.

Pakistan’s drones shot down, shelling resumes at border

On Friday, Pakistan’s military attempted another wave of drone and missile attacks against Indian territory. India’s air defence systems successfully neutralised the threats, including drones in Rajasthan’s Barmer, Pokhran, Jaisalmer and Phalodi.

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In Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani shelling resumed in sensitive border areas including Uri, Kupwara and Poonch, fuelling fresh concerns amid already heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Family injured in Punjab as Pakistani drone hits residential area

In Punjab’s Firozpur, a Pakistani drone struck a civilian home, injuring three members of a family, one of them critically. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The drone responsible was reportedly neutralised shortly after the incident.

Also read: Indo-Pak war | Three injured after Pakistani drone hits residential area in Punjab’s Firozpur

Blackouts ordered as precaution across multiple states

In response to Pakistani attacks, authorities enforced power blackouts across several districts in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The aim was to make it harder for enemy drones or aircraft to identify targets on the ground.

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Residents were asked to turn off lights and stay indoors as a precaution.

“People were advised to switch off their lights in multiple districts following sirens and loud explosions,” a senior official said.

Full list of blackout-affected areas

Punjab:

Firozpur, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Sangrur, Muktsar, Fazilka, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur

Jammu and Kashmir:

Nagrota, Rajouri, Pathankot, Akhnoor, Samba, Kathua, parts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Udhampur, Poonch, Jammu city, Katra

Haryana:

Ambala, Panchkula

Rajasthan:

Jaisalmer, Barmer

Himachal Pradesh:

Solan

Gujarat:

Kutch, villages in Patan district, Banaskantha district

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