Air raid sirens, Chandigarh, Patiala on high alert, amid Indo-Pak escalation

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply on Friday morning as air raid sirens blared across Chandigarh and Patiala following a missile and drone attack attempt by Pakistan that was thwarted by Indian forces late Thursday night. Authorities have urged residents in both cities to remain indoors and avoid open balconies or rooftops.

The advisory from the Chandigarh administration came after an air warning was issued by the Indian Air Force about a possible follow-up attack. People were advised not to step outside unless absolutely necessary, as sirens echoed across residential and commercial areas.

Similar alerts were issued in Patiala, where the district administration shut all educational institutions and appealed for public calm. Emergency measures were rolled out across the city to ensure preparedness. The warnings have heightened anxieties in the wake of an already tense atmosphere following the April 22 Pahalgam terror massacre.

In response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, India had launched a counterstrike — codenamed Operation Sindhoor — targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Pakistan retaliated by intensifying ceasefire violations across the Line of Control, killing 16 people and using mortars and heavy artillery in Kupwara, Poonch, Rajouri, and other border regions.

As a precaution, the Punjab government had already cancelled all police personnel leaves, announced school closures for three days, and set up a dedicated control room to handle public concerns. Districts like Tarn Taran and Fazilka even banned firecrackers at weddings to avoid triggering public panic.

Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana, has also declared the closure of all schools until Saturday. With tensions refusing to die down, security forces remain on high alert, and additional surveillance has been deployed along sensitive urban and border zones.