'This is no ceasefire...': CM Omar Abdullah after explosions rock Srinagar
Tribune News Service
Multiple explosions were heard in Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley on Saturday evening, hours after India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire, ending a four-day military action between the two forces. A senior official said that “drone activity” was spotted, and air defence units were activated to engage and neutralise them.
On Saturday evening, after the ceasefire announcement, Srinagar city witnessed bustling markets with no shutdown ordered. However, loud explosions rattled Srinagar, prompting people to rush towards their homes. A senior official said a blackout was enforced around the city and other parts of the valley following the drone attacks.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X that he heard explosions in Srinagar. In a video he posted on X, he also said, “This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.” Locals living around Srinagar-based 15 Corps reported multiple explosions and firing in the area. “There were loud explosions and firing. Soon after, electricity was disconnected,” said a local from Srinagar’s Shivpora area.
Army sources said drones were spotted and were being engaged by air defence units, foiling the attack. This was not the first instance of drone attacks; on Friday evening, the Kashmir Valley witnessed drone attacks from Pakistan, unlike Jammu city, which saw a swarm of drones for two consecutive days. Locals in other parts of the valley also reported seeing red streaks and hearing loud explosions on Saturday evening.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said the ceasefire between India and Pakistan “is not just an agreement or one-time event—it’s a fragile hope, a step toward healing wounds that have festered for generations.” She added, “May this ceasefire be the beginning of a future where peace is not the exception but the norm.”
Meanwhile, ceasefire violations were reported from Akhnoor, Sunderbani, and Mendhar sectors of the Jammu region by evening. Sources informed that Pakistani troops started unprovoked firing on Indian troops, which was later retaliated. In north Kashmir’s border villages, locals said the borders were silent till late Saturday evening. Earlier, for several days, the villages along the Line of Control had faced heavy shelling, including the use of heavy weaponry, by Pakistan.
