Drone Sightings Trigger Alert Along India-Pak Border in Jammu and Punjab; Situation Now Under Control
Meanwhile, a senior district official in Punjab's Jalandhar said the armed forces neutralised a suspected "surveillance drone"
Security forces observed drone activity late Monday evening along the International Border (IB) in Jammu’s Samba district and parts of Punjab’s Jalandhar district, triggering concerns amid heightened tensions following recent cross-border hostilities. Despite these concerns, the Army later confirmed that the situation remained calm and firmly under control
The sightings came just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first national address post-Operation Sindoor and a high-level meeting between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.
The Army spotted a small number of suspected drones near Samba in Jammu and Kashmir and engaged them swiftly. As of late Monday night, officials confirmed no enemy drones were present and urged citizens to remain calm.
Authorities responded to the sightings by implementing several precautionary measures. Multiple areas in Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Jammu experienced blackouts. The famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and its surrounding track also switched off lights as a preventive step, sources confirmed.
Meanwhile, in Punjab’s Jalandhar district, authorities confirmed that a suspected surveillance drone was neutralized near Mand village. “The armed forces brought down the drone at around 9:20 p.m. A team is searching for the debris,” said Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal. He urged locals to avoid the debris and report any findings to nearby police stations.
Aggarwal dismissed rumors of a full blackout in the area, clarifying that authorities had turned off lights in parts of Suranassi purely as a precautionary measure. “There is no need for panic. Security forces are on alert, and normalcy is being maintained,” he said.
“Officials confirmed that drone activity in Jalandhar ceased after 10 p.m. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal urged residents not to set off firecrackers, noting that such incidents in some neighborhoods could create unnecessary confusion.
Blackout protocols were extended to parts of Amritsar and Hoshiarpur as well. In an unexpected turn, an Amritsar-bound IndiGo flight had to return to Delhi due to the precautionary closure of Amritsar airport, sources said.
These developments follow a resurgence of hostilities along the India-Pakistan border, which initially erupted in northern Kashmir’s Kupwara and Baramulla districts before expanding to Rajouri, Poonch, and other sectors along the IB. The renewed tensions have further strained the fragile ceasefire agreement signed in February 2021, which has seen repeated violations from across the border.
Punjab shares a 553-kilometre border with Pakistan, making it a critical zone for aerial surveillance and ground vigilance.
