The Chandigarh administration on Friday issued a renewed air raid warning, urging residents to remain indoors following alerts of a possible aerial attack.
“An air warning has been received from the air force station regarding a potential threat. Sirens are being sounded. All are advised to stay indoors and avoid balconies,” read an official statement from the administration.
Approximately an hour later, authorities announced the alert had ended.
Chandigarh, which serves as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, witnessed this development against the backdrop of mounting military tensions between India and Pakistan.
Neighbouring Panchkula district also activated its siren system and issued a similar advisory, cautioning residents to remain indoors.
In Punjab, the Mohali district administration advised people living in sectors bordering Chandigarh to exercise caution. “There is an alert in some areas of Chandigarh. We are advising Mohali residents in bordering sectors to stay indoors and away from windows and glass panes,” it said in a public message.
Further south, the Patiala district administration also issued an advisory, urging residents to remain calm and indoors. “Please avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary. All educational institutions in the district will remain closed until further notice. Citizens are advised to stay away from balconies, rooftops, and open areas,” the advisory said, adding that residents should contact the control room for emergencies.
This is the second air raid alert sounded in Chandigarh in as many days. On Thursday night, similar sirens were heard as Indian defence forces reportedly intercepted a fresh wave of drone and missile attacks launched by Pakistan. These targeted multiple military sites, including in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Pakistani forces attempted strikes on 15 locations across northern and western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.
The escalation follows India’s retaliatory strikes on Wednesday, under ‘Operation Sindoor’, during which the armed forces carried out precision missile attacks on nine terror sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and within Pakistan. These strikes came in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
(With inputs from PTI)
