Drone Attacks, Heavy Shelling, Blackouts On 3rd Day Of Pakistan Aggression: What We Know So Far

SOURCE ; NEW18

Last Updated:May 10, 2025, 00:28 IST

Heavy artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistan on the LoC following Operation Sindoor claimed three lives while an armed Pakistani drone left three of a family injured in Punjab

Pakistani drone sightings at 26 locations and heavy shelling continued on Friday along the Indo-Pakistan border amid a military standoff between the two neighbouring countries.

The relentless heavy artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistan on the volatile Jammu and Kashmir border following Operation Sindoor, claimed three lives even as the BSF thwarted a major infiltration attempt killing seven terrorists. An armed drone, meanwhile, reportedly targeted a civilian area in Punjab’s Ferozepur, leaving three members of a family injured of whom one is critical.

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Complete blackouts in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan continued for the second consecutive day. The Indian armed forces intercepted enemy drones at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) – from Baramulla in J&K to Bhuj in Gujarat.

This comes a day after India thwarted Pakistan’s fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles, including in Jammu and Pathankot after foiling similar bids at 15 places in northern and western regions.

Tension between the two neighbours soared after the Indian armed forces on May 7 conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with the top defence establishment to take stock of the security situation. He met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and the three service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff to strategise over the future course of action.

Here is all you need to know:

DRONES INTERCEPTED AT 26 LOCATIONS

The Indian armed forces intercepted Pakistani drones at multiple locations including Baramulla, Srinagar, Awantipora, Nagrota, and Jammu in J&K; Ferozepur, Pathankot, and Fazilka in Punjab; Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, and Barmer in Rajasthan; Bhuj and Kuar Bet in Gujarat.

According to information available, three members of a family were left injured after an armed drone targeted a civilian area at Khai village in Ferozepur. One member is critical while the other two were provided medical aid. The security forces have sanitised the area.

The military is on high alert in these three states, which are close to the border, while aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. Citizens, especially in border areas, have been advised to stay indoors, limit non-essential movement, and follow safety instructions issued by local authorities.

Drone attacks on Srinagar airport and Awantipora air base were thwarted, while blasts were heard in Jammu and parts of the south Kashmir region.

According to officials, the sky was lit up in Baramulla district as the Indian military shot down Pakistani drones. Blasts were heard and sirens sounded in the Jammu region and south Kashmir as many parts of the Union Territory plunged into darkness, they said.

The officials said drones were also sighted in Jammu, Samba and neighbouring Pathankot district in Punjab, and they were being engaged. They were also engaged in Udhampur and Nagrota of Jammu and Punjab, they said. The aerial objects attempted to strike the strategic Jammu airport and its surrounding areas, which house the army, air force, and paramilitary installations.

“Intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery, can now be heard from where I am,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a post on X, also putting up a picture of the city in darkness, captioning it as, “Blackout in Jammu now. Sirens can be heard across the city.”

“It’s my earnest appeal to everyone in and around Jammu please stay off the streets, stay at home or at the nearest place you can comfortably stay at for the next few hours. Ignore rumours, don’t spread unsubstantiated or unverified stories and we will get through this together,” he said in another post.

Multiple aerial threats were intercepted in Jaisalmer as well. The threat prompted forces to issue a red alert and blackouts in several border districts, creating panic among residents. Sources said the drones, suspected to have been launched from Pakistan, were destroyed mid-air by India’s air defence systems.

3 KILLED IN SHELLING, BSF THWARTS MAJOR INFILTRATION BID

Three persons were killed in heavy artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistan while the BSF thwarted a major infiltration attempt, killing seven terrorists.

Officials said Pakistani shelling claimed the life of civilian Mohd Abrar and injured three others, including his wife, when their homes were hit. A soldier, sepoy M Murali Naik from Andhra Pradesh, was also killed in the cross-border shelling in Poonch. In Baramulla’s Uri sector, intense overnight cross-border shelling resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to several others, including a soldier, the officials said.

The BSF, meanwhile, successfully thwarted an infiltration attempt across the International Border in the Samba district, where drones were sighted in the evening. The BSF’s surveillance grid detected a large group of terrorists around 11 pm on Thursday (May 8), leading to an engagement that resulted in the death of at least seven infiltrators and the destruction of the Pakistan Rangers’ Dhandhar post, which had provided support fire.

Shelling was also reported from different sectors of Rajouri, Akhnoor in Jammu and Kupwara districts, resulting in damage to dozens of residential houses and leading to fresh evacuation of civilians from the vulnerable areas.

After almost a day-long lull, firing and shelling from across the border resumed in the Poonch, Rajouri and the Uri sectors. The Pakistan Army also suffered heavy losses in retaliatory action by the Indian Army.

COMPLETE BLACKOUTS IN BORDER AREAS

For the second consecutive day, Jammu was plunged into darkness following two loud explosions, likely resulting from the interception of the intruding drones. Immediately after, sirens were blared throughout the city, alerting residents to seek shelter.

In Jaisalmer, soon after the attacks, sirens rang out in Pokaran and a complete blackout was imposed in the region. Following the attack, the blackout in Jodhpur, originally scheduled to begin at midnight, was implemented immediately. Blackouts were enforced in Barmer, Sriganganagar, and Phalodi also.

Sounds resembling blasts were also heard in Pathankot and Ferozepur, prompting the authorities to clamp a blackout there and several other districts. Air raid sirens wailed in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts sending people into tizzy. Officials said the blackout was enforced in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka, Muktsar and Sangrur.

(With PTI inputs)

First Published:

May 09, 2025, 23:40 IST