The Sirsa district administration in Haryana has issued an urgent advisory asking residents to stay indoors after dark, avoid unnecessary movement, and switch off all lights, amid heightened alert levels following a wave of drone sightings and recent cross-border incidents, stated DIPRO Sirsa via X .
“All citizens should stay in their homes at night and do not go out unnecessarily. Do not turn on any kind of lights anywhere. Do not pay attention to any rumours or panic. Pay attention only to the official information issued from time to time by the district administration.
सभी नागरिक रात्रि में घरों में रहें और बिना जरूरत बाहर ना निकलें। कहीं भी किसी भी प्रकार की लाइटें न जलाएं। किसी भी अफवाह पर ध्यान न दें, घबराएं नहीं। जिला प्रशासन द्वारा समय-समय पर जारी आधिकारिक सूचनाओं पर ही ध्यान दें। जिला में पूरी तरह से स्थिति सामान्य है : जिला प्रशासन सिरसा
— DIPRO Sirsa (@DiproSirsa) May 9, 2025
Sirsa, a strategically located city in western Haryana bordering Punjab and Rajasthan, lies just over 250 km from New Delhi and near the Thar desert. Given its proximity to sensitive regions, the alert follows a wider nationwide security response to recent escalations with Pakistan.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) earlier confirmed sightings of drones at 26 different locations along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC). These locations included Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala.
Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj,…
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 9, 2025
In one concerning incident, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, injuring members of a local family. The injured were provided medical aid and the area was promptly sanitised by Indian security forces.
The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, using counter-drone systems to monitor and respond to threats. Citizens, especially those living near border areas, are advised to remain vigilant, comply with all official instructions, and avoid falling for rumours.
As India responds to ongoing cross-border challenges, district-level precautions like the blackout in Sirsa are part of a wider civil defence mechanism to protect both civilians and infrastructure from potential aerial attacks.
