New Delhi, 12 May (H.S.): Shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on Monday, red streaks appeared in the skies as 10 to 12 drones were intercepted in Samba, leading to a blackout in the region and Jammu for the fourth consecutive night. Following the initial wave of drone activity, no further sightings were reported for 15 minutes in Samba. There were also suspected drone sightings in various locations in Punjab, prompting sirens in Amritsar, though no explosions have been reported.

As a precaution, a partial blackout was declared in the Dasuya and Mukerian areas of Hoshiarpur, Punjab, with Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain urging residents to observe a voluntary blackout and remain indoors. In contrast to previous days, only a few drones appeared in Samba on Monday, with authorities reassuring the public that there was nothing to be alarmed about. The situation is being closely monitored.

Monday was relatively calm along the northern and western borders, marking a respite after four days filled with cross-border firing and air raid sirens affecting Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The Indian Army confirmed that the night was generally peaceful, with no incidents reported, following PM Modi’s commentary on military actions against terrorism and resistance to ‘nuclear blackmail’ from Pakistan.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar