Blackout enforced in Punjab districts; drones neutralised in Jalandhar

View of a blackout enforced in the city, amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan, in Amritsar, Punjab, on May 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

A blackout was observed in several districts of Punjab including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Rupnagar, Fazilka, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, and also the Union Territory Chandigarh on Thursday (May 8, 2025) night according to officials.

The move came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan.

In Jalandhar, some drones were spotted that neutralised at around 11.20 p.m. by security forces, as per official sources.

In Pathankot district, some locals claimed they heard explosion-like sounds. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard.

“There was loud noise, like sounds of bombing, and also non-stop sirens. It was too scary,” said a resident of Sujanpur in Pathankot.

Air raid warning sirens were activated in Pathankot where the blackout was enforced around 8.30 p.m.

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Authorities appealed to people to keep their lights switched off and stay at home. They also said there was no need to panic.

Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal asked citizens in the border district to remain inside their homes and follow the protocols of the blackout.

Officials said the blackout was enforced as a precautionary measure to ensure safety of citizens.

Meanwhile, the Mohali district administration declared jurisdiction of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar as ‘No Flying Zone’ for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

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District Magistrate, SAS Nagar, Komal Mittal while exercising the power conferred upon under section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, ordered that the whole jurisdiction of SAS Nagar shall be “No Flying Zone” with effect from May 8 till July 5.

However, this order shall not be applicable on law enforcement agencies –police, paramilitary, air force, SPG personnel and persons authorized by competent government authority.

Punjab is in alert mode with schools in border districts closed and leaves of all police personnel cancelled, officials said a day after India struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published – May 09, 2025 07:05 am IST