There were a series of bangs in Srinagar earlier on Saturday morning, mostly within the airport compound, as the air raid alarms wailed along parts of the city. Numerous eyewitnesses and news crews testified to a set of explosions around 6 am, causing hysteria among residents. Security officials have confirmed that there was a missile-like object crashing deep into Dal Lake, which is one of Srinagar's prime destinations for tourists, shortly after explosions. Plumes of smoke were seen erupting from the lake, and security personnel quickly responded to recover and examine the wreckage.
At the same time, another unidentified object was found at Lasjan, on the outskirts of Srinagar, and is also being investigated by the authorities.
Air raid sirens and mosque loudspeakers requested people to switch off the lights and stay indoors as a precautionary measure. The city itself was already blacked out, with electricity switched off in most areas to reduce visibility for any aerial attack.
These developments are on the backdrop of high India-Pakistan military escalation, with the two nations firing drones and missiles at each other last night. Indian surface-to-air missiles have been used to take down threatening targets over Srinagar and other surrounding military facilities.
The tension is still high, with security checks intensified all over the city, especially around the airport and army bases. Citizens are advised to stay indoors and follow official instructions until things return to normal.
