‘Relief was short-lived’: Rajasthan border villagers spent night in panic despite ceasefire

Police in Barmer retrieve missile debris, which is then taken away in a police vehicle.

Panic gripped residents in Rajasthan’s border areas following the ceasefire violations by Pakistan on Saturday night. Despite a formal ceasefire being announced on Saturday evening, many places in Rajasthan, including Jaisalmer, Barmer, and nearby villages, heard sirens and faced blackouts after the ceasefire violation.

On Saturday night, several people reported hearing explosions and spotting drones flying overhead. Although the intensity of these incidents was lower than the previous two nights, the fear remained, news agency PTI reported.

The Indian Army successfully intercepted and neutralised these aerial threats, preventing potential damage and casualties, said officials.

Revant Singh, a resident of Jaisalmer, told PTI, "Drone activity was spotted in the sky, which was a clear violation of the ceasefire announced on Saturday.”

According to a report by Telangana Today, six loud explosions were heard from the western side of Jaisalmer around 11.37 pm on Saturday, creating panic among residents.

Drones had entered Indian territory on Thursday and Friday night as well, but the Indian defence forces managed to destroy them mid-air. Debris from the destroyed drones and other unidentified flying objects was discovered in different areas on Saturday. In Barmer, parts of a drone were found in Burtiya village on Sunday, PTI reported.

The ceasefire announcement on Saturday amid a military conflict between India and Pakistan initially brought some relief to people. Markets in Jaisalmer and Barmer reopened in the evening and the blackout call in Barmer was withdrawn.

However, the relief was short-lived. Later that evening, the Pakistani drones were seen flying, leading to a fresh round of fear and a blackout across the region.

"There was news about the ceasefire in the evening and markets reopened. But around 9 pm, drones were spotted in the sky again. We heard explosions, although the activity was less intense than the previous night," Tarendra Singh, a resident of Jhinjhinyali village in Fatehgarh, near the border, told PTI. However, he said shops are open and "activities are back to normal".