“When It Gets Dark, We Get Scared”: Punjab Residents Recount Explosions, Blackouts Amid India-Pakistan Escalation

By A Staff Reporter

PATHANKOT/AMRITSAR — Fear and uncertainty gripped residents in parts of India’s Punjab state on Thursday night as authorities switched off lights and blackouts blanketed several cities following heightened cross-border tensions with Pakistan.

Residents in Pathankot and Amritsar described scenes reminiscent of wartime drills, as explosions rang through the night, the internet was cut, and families sheltered indoors.

“You would see lights in the sky and hear an explosion immediately after,” said a 39-year-old doctor at a government hospital in Pathankot, who requested anonymity. “I heard between 40 and 50 explosions. The sounds stopped around midnight but started again before sunrise.”

The doctor said there were no casualties at the hospital, but added, “We aren’t used to this. Things have always been normal here. My family is still scared.”

India has accused Pakistan of launching drone and missile strikes on military sites, including Pathankot. Pakistan denies these allegations, even as both countries continue to exchange drone fire and accuse each other of initiating aggression.

Laxmi Kant, a 42-year-old property dealer in Pathankot, said his two daughters, aged 8 and 13, were terrified when the power went out. “Though it seems calm today, we’re not going out. When night comes, we don’t know what will happen.”

Similar conditions prevailed in Amritsar, just 15 miles from the Pakistan border. Residents reported widespread blackouts from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with loud explosions throughout the night.

A 39-year-old medical technician said the city felt “normal” by day, but fears persist. “I’ll go to work today, but when it gets dark, we do get scared. We don’t know what might happen next.”