India repels Pak attacks for 2nd night in a row

Forces down drones that attacked 26 spots; 3 injured in attack on civilian area in Ferozepur; New Delhi retaliates against Pak proportionally

- Rahul Singh, Mir Ehsan, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria and Surjit Singh

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR/AMRITSAR/JAMMU: India hit back at Pakistan on Friday night after repelling Pakistani drone strikes at 26 locations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, as Islamabad ratcheted up hostilities for the second straight day, raising fears of a full-blown conflict.

Both surveillance and suspected armed drones were sighted across a wide arc of locations — ranging from Baramulla and Srinagar in the north to Bhuj in the west — along both the international border and the Line of Control, the army said. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Awantipora, Nagrota and Jammu in J&K, Ferozepur, Pathankot and Fazilka in Punjab, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan, and Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala in Gujarat.

"The Indian armed forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary," the army said. The strikes came a day after Pakistan targeted 36 locations inside India with 300 to 400 Turkish-origin armed drones and used civilian airliners as a shield to attack military sites, prompting New Delhi to strike Islamabad's air defence systems at four places and destroying one of them.

On Friday night, Indian forces launched an appropriate and proportionate counter-strike, HT learnt. A number of civilian flights were operating in airports such as Lahore and Islamabad at the time of the drone strikes, lending credence to India's claim earlier in the day that Pakistan was using civilian flights as a shield to attack its neighbouring country.

"Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential," the army said.