Midnight jet sounds, shelling trigger panic across Kashmir

Srinagar, May 7: A night filled with roaring jet sounds shattered the calm across Kashmir, triggering fear and panic among residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

The sudden aerial activity, which began around midnight and continued till early morning, left people rattled, forcing them to remain indoors almost through the day.

The operation was not officially announced, but whispers of its name—Sindoor—began circling through the Valley like wildfire on chats and hushed phone calls.

The name hinted at retribution. Just two weeks earlier, the brutal Pahalgam attack had left 25 tourists and one local dead.

The nation had watched in horror. But now, it seemed, Delhi had chosen to respond—not with speeches, but with jet engines.

By morning, Kashmir resembled a ghost town.

Schools across the Valley remained shut.

Those that did open saw empty desks and anxious teachers.

Roads were deserted; ATMs locked their shutters.

Even the ever-bustling Lal Chowk wore a silence that felt unnatural.

Private clinics and government hospitals reported record-low footfall.

Life was paused—held hostage by uncertainty.

Residents across the Valley heard what they described as “low-flying jets” and “unusual aerial activity” that persisted for hours.

In parts of north Kashmir, including Baramulla and border areas like Uri, there were confirmed incidents of shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in injuries and property damage.

“It started at midnight and continued till 7 am,” said Reyaz Ahmad, a resident of Kupwara. “There were continuous sounds of jets overhead. We couldn’t sleep. The fear was real. We preferred to stay indoors even during the day.”

Many residents in Kupwara and adjoining areas described the night as one of the most tense in recent memory.

In Baramulla, the fear turned to tragedy as reports emerged from Uri of injuries due to Pakistani shelling.

Officials said that several civilians sustained minor injuries and were shifted to nearby health facilities.

“Shells landed close to residential areas. A few people were injured by shrapnel. It could have been worse,” said a senior Police officer in Baramulla, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

On Tuesday morning, life across Kashmir Valley came to a near standstill. In Srinagar, the usually bustling streets were deserted. Markets remained deserted, public transport was negligible.

“Even our regular morning customers didn’t show up,” said Tariq Khan, who runs a grocery store in Srinagar’s Hyderpora locality. “People are scared. Nobody knows what’s going on.”

Government offices and banks recorded negligible attendance and in many places.

Schools, both private and government-run, remained open only in name in Srinagar, with almost no attendance recorded.

Adding to the anxiety was the closure of the Srinagar International Airport, which was taken over by the Indian Air Force (IAF) early Tuesday morning.

Commercial flight operations were suspended, and security was beefed up in and around the airport premises.

“Flights were cancelled. Later, we learned that the IAF had taken control. That made people even more nervous,” said Aaliya Hussain, who had reached the airport early morning to catch a flight to Delhi.

Airport officials confirmed the suspension of operations but declined to provide further details.

“It is a security measure. Passengers have been informed,” one official said.

Healthcare services were also disrupted.

Government hospitals and private clinics across Srinagar and other towns recorded thin attendance.

Fear of stepping out amid uncertainty led many patients to cancel appointments.

“There was barely any footfall today. Even people with scheduled surgeries had to face a little bit of problems,” health officials said.