India Repels Drone, Artillery Attacks Along Western Border
Indian Army intercepts drone and artillery attacks from Pakistan; Uri civilians evacuated, Punjab schools shut, ICAI exams postponed.
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The Indian Army confirmed early Friday that multiple drone incursions and artillery strikes from across the Pakistan border were repelled overnight, as cross-border hostilities flared along the western frontier and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
The military reported that the attacks, carried out by Pakistan’s forces during the intervening night of May 8-9, were intercepted with immediate retaliation. Ceasefire violations were recorded in various sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to four civilians in Baramulla district's Uri region.
In the Razarwani area of Uri, residents evacuated to safer locations amid intensified shelling. Multiple civilian structures sustained damage due to overnight firing.
Security protocols triggered blackouts in several districts across Punjab including Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Rupnagar, as well as in Chandigarh. Authorities imposed a shutdown of all educational institutions across Punjab for three days. Jammu and Kashmir also suspended operations at schools and colleges for two days as a precautionary step.
Responding to the threat of potential air strikes, Chandigarh officials sounded air raid sirens at approximately 9:30 a.m. Residents were instructed to remain indoors. The alert was withdrawn around 10:16 a.m. once the threat was assessed to have passed.
The Mohali district administration in Punjab issued advisories for residents in sectors near the Chandigarh border to stay away from windows and open spaces. Meanwhile, Kerala’s government activated emergency helplines to support Keralites residing in the border states.
Elsewhere, the Border Security Force (BSF) reported the elimination of seven infiltrators attempting to cross into the Samba sector under cover of fire from Pakistan Rangers. The BSF responded by destroying the origin point of the assault.
False claims and visuals about drone attacks circulated online were flagged as misinformation by the Press Information Bureau’s fact-check unit, which debunked videos allegedly showing attacks on military and civilian installations.
In response to the escalated security climate, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India postponed scheduled exams between May 9 and 14, including final and intermediate assessments, citing national safety concerns.
Political reactions poured in with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announcing a solidarity rally in Chennai on May 10 to back the Indian Army. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah traveled to Jammu to review the situation on-ground.
Amid the developments, the U.S. clarified its non-intervention stance, urging both India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions through diplomatic means.
Security remained heightened at key locations, including Shri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport in Amritsar, where police enforced access restrictions and patrols were intensified.
