A view of the sky in Srinagar where red flares were seen.
Credit: PTI
Srinagar: Barely four hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday, multiple explosions were reported in Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering panic, sirens, and blackouts in several areas.
The evening was shattered by loud blasts, with streaks of light in the sky followed by rapid gunfire-like sounds. Sirens blared through the city as air defence systems appeared to activate, plunging many neighbourhoods into temporary darkness.
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Similar reports of explosions and suspected aerial activity came from the border districts of Baramulla and Bandipora in north Kashmir, raising fears that the ceasefire, which had raised cautious hopes for calm, may already be unraveling.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing what appeared to be a missile or interceptor streaking across the night sky. “This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.”
In another post, he expressed disbelief at the situation: “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!”
Sources said heavy drone activity had been detected across multiple sectors in Kashmir, though there was no immediate official confirmation of any cross-border violations or casualties.
The ceasefire, hailed earlier in the day by political leaders across the spectrum, now stands on shaky ground amid these dramatic developments. Just hours before the explosions, leaders including Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had welcomed the truce, urging both India and Pakistan to commit to sustained peace.