'Target killing of civilians': Locals across regions recall night of fear after Pakistan's failed bid to launch air attacks

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, locals in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in border villages along the Line of Control (LoC), faced the brunt of the conflict.

In Uri district, where several shops in border villages were targeted by Pakistan’s shelling, the damage to livelihoods has been significant.

Sajjad Ahmed, a resident of one such village, stood before the remains of his shop and expressed his devastation: "After we closed our shop last night, shelling started. This morning I saw that my shop is completely damaged. This is very painful. This is like the target killing of civilians. We are facing injustice. I have lost nearly 8-10 lakh (rupees). There's nothing left here. I had come to see what I could save, but there is nothing left."

The situation escalated further on the night of May 8, when a complete blackout was enforced in Jammu as explosions and sirens rang out near the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

The Border Security Forces (BSF) successfully thwarted a major infiltration attempt in Samba district around 11 PM, and defence sources confirmed that two Pakistani drones were intercepted in the Naushera sector amidst intense artillery exchanges.

Amidst the escalating conflict, locals have expressed frustration and fear, as the shelling and infiltration attempts continue.

One civilian from Uri voiced the sentiment shared by many in the area: "Those who have means or places would go there. But we are poor. Where would we go? The shelling must stop."

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Punjab
In Punjab, blackouts were imposed across several districts, including key border areas like Amritsar, Pathankot, and Ferozepur, on the night of May 8. The authorities also snapped power in districts like Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, and Hoshiarpur, and in Chandigarh, where the power was cut for about two hours. The blackouts were a precautionary measure after Pakistan’s missile and drone strikes targeted military sites in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur.

Pathankot, in particular, saw heightened tension, with air raid warning sirens activated around 8:30 PM. Locals in Pathankot reported hearing explosion-like sounds during the night, though there was no official confirmation of damage. Still, many residents expressed a mix of anxiety and relief as India’s armed forces swiftly thwarted the Pakistani strikes.

One resident of Pathankot shared, "Though we were anxious over the developments, we were confident as India's armed forces were swiftly thwarting Pakistan's attempts."

In the key border districts of Amritsar and Ferozepur, calm prevailed by the morning, despite the heightened fear the previous night. A local man in Chandigarh, Baldev Chand, who continued his routine morning walk, said, "While there were some anxious moments the previous night, there was nothing to worry given the way the Indian armed forces thwarted Pakistan's attempts."

As the night unfolded, authorities across several districts appealed to people to switch off their lights and remain at home. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal issued a statement urging citizens to remain inside their homes and follow the blackout protocols for safety. The precautionary measure was extended to other districts like Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, Patiala, and even Haryana’s Panchkula.

The Punjab government also closed all educational institutions for the next three days due to the rising tensions. In Chandigarh, schools were shut until the weekend as a preventive measure.

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Rajasthan
In Rajasthan’s border districts, locals experienced fear during multiple Pakistani drone strikes in Jaisalmer, but the Indian Air Defence systems intercepted and neutralized all threats, providing much-needed relief. Locals expressed their initial fear but also their growing confidence in the Indian armed forces.

One local from Jaisalmer shared, "After the sudden strike we were under fear but all the Pakistani drones were neutralised. The attack on the Army and Air Force were completely thwarted. There is peace and no fear among the people. We are with the Indian Air Force and Army. We heard the explosions, but none of the explosions happened on land."

Another resident of Jaisalmer explained, "Many drones were targeted towards us but the Indian air defence system destroyed all the drones in the air. We felt extremely relieved. India is many times stronger than Pakistan. We are happy to listen to the news that their F-16 and JF-17 were shot down. Pakistan will always face failure."

A third local added, "When blackout happened at 9 in the night, we heard the explosions. Earlier, we thought it was firecrackers, but later we realised it was a real bomb, targeted at us. We never thought of experiencing this. We are happy that all the Pakistani drones were neutralised. There is no atmosphere of fear. Indian air defence system is completely efficient. Pakistan can never harm Jaisalmer."

The Indian Army confirmed that on the intervening night of May 8 and May 9, multiple drone attacks and ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the western border and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir were repelled.

The army stated that "the drone attacks were effectively neutralised" and that appropriate responses were made to the ceasefire violations.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)