Suspected drones were observed along the International Border in the Samba district of Jammu region on Monday, May 12, while armed forces downed a "surveillance drone" in Punjab's Jalandhar district. The Army said security forces were engaging the suspected drones in the Samba district. The drone activity along the borderline came barely hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first address to the nation following Operation Sindoor and the meeting of the DGMOs of India and Pakistan.
The Army said the situation is calm and under full control. "No enemy drones are being reported at present," it said. The Army had earlier said that there was no need to be alarmed. “A small number of suspected drones have been observed near Samba in J&K. They are being engaged,” it said.
Visuals From Rajasthan
Several areas witnessed blackouts in Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Jammu. As a precautionary measure, sources said lights were switched off at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi and along its track.
The latest hostilities began in the northern districts of Kupwara and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley before spreading southwards to Rajouri, Poonch, Akhnoor and the Pargwal sector along the International Border in Jammu district. The firing affected five border districts — Baramulla, Kupwara, Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu.
The recent round of cross-border firing further undermined the ceasefire agreement reached in February 2021, which has largely been seen as ineffective due to Pakistan’s frequent violations along the 740-km-long LoC.
Meanwhile, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said, "I have been informed that one surveillance drone was brought down by the armed forces around 9:20 pm near Mand village. An expert team is looking for the debris." In a message at 10:45 pm, he advised people against going near any debris and to immediately inform the nearest police station. It has also been informed that there was no drone activity since 10 pm, Aggarwal said.
Visuasl From Jammu
The Jalandhar deputy commissioner urged residents to remain calm and not burst firecrackers, as had been reported in some areas. Earlier, he had said that lights had been switched off in some areas around Suranassi as a precautionary measure after reports of drone sightings.
"We are verifying them. There is no (total) blackout as of now. There is nothing to worry, as confirmed by armed forces officers. They are on regular vigil as always," Aggarwal had said in a message at 9:15 pm. Punjab shares a 553-kilometre border with Pakistan.
India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding to cease all firing and military actions on land, air, and sea with immediate effect following four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes that brought the two countries to the brink of full-scale war.