On the night between May 8 and May 9, Indian Army Air Defence Units successfully neutralised 50 Pakistani drones targeting 15 cities along the India-Pakistan border, including Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Chandigarh.
Furthermore, the defence ministry reported that the Pakistani military aimed to strike cities in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, but Indian forces intercepted the swarm of drones in border areas like Udhampur, Jammu, and Akhnoor.
Amid the escalating military tensions, several cities experienced total blackouts, and blaring air raid sirens. Chandigarh, Mohali, and Ambala received air warnings from Air Force stations, urging residents to stay indoors, avoid balconies, and keep away from windows.
Blackout protocols were enforced in Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, and Panchkula in Haryana. In Pathankot, Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal ordered strict adherence to blackout measures, with intensified patrolling in key areas of Chandigarh and Mohali.
Educational institutions closed in these areas
- Jammu and Kashmir shut all schools, colleges, and universities until Monday, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah set to review the situation in Jammu.
- Schools in Leh closed on May 9 and 10, while Patiala suspended educational activities indefinitely. "All government and private schools in Leh district shall remain closed for the next two days," said Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Santosh Sukhdeva.
- In Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, the Bar Council declared a no-work day in courts, with Chairman Rakesh Gupta urging safety compliance.
- Educational Institutions in Patiala have been closed until further notice. People are urged not to step outside unless necessary.
- People are asked to stay indoors and follow blackout protocols in these cities: Pathankot, Mohali, and Chandigarh. Blackouts were also enforced in Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, and Haryana's Panchkula.
- In Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri, labourers and civilians fled to safer areas after shops were damaged in the strikes. Srinagar and other regions saw reduced traffic and closed schools, as residents stockpiled rations amid the ongoing crisis.
