‘Felt like a bomb had gone off’: Residents recall night of horror as intercepted drones, missile-like objects fall over Jalandhar

Darshan Singh, a resident of Nahlan village in Jalandhar, was sitting on his tubewell around 8.45 am Saturday when he heard one such explosion.

“A very sharp object suddenly came from the sky and fell with great force. Before I could react, a huge soil storm, which went up to 50-60 feet high, erupted from the ground and a loud bang was heard seconds before this speedy fall. It was terrifying,” Darshan recalled, adding that a 2-foot deep pit could even be at the spot where the object fell in the field.

Within minutes, dozens of residents rushed out of their homes and gathered near the site. Scattered metallic fragments and twisted debris lay across the fields. They informed the police immediately.

Sub-Inspector Balbir Singh, SHO of Lambra police station, confirmed the incident. “We have collected debris from the spot. The Army and forensic teams are now taking them along for further investigation. We urge the public to stay indoors and not interfere with the recovery work,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal said Jalandhar was placed on red alert Friday night after multiple aerial threats were detected.

“Several objects/drones were seen and intercepted in the air by armed forces. Residents must remain indoors and report any suspicious debris. Please do not touch any unfamiliar objects,” he advised.

In the Kangniwal village, Jasbir Kaur was jolted awake by a loud explosion just outside her home.

“The sound was deafening. When I stepped out, I saw debris scattered all over. My car was damaged, and sharp-edged fragments hit our house walls—it looked like someone had fired bullets,” she said.

A migrant worker, Vishnu, who was sleeping outside, sustained a serious shoulder injury after a metal shard pierced him. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

In the same village, water tanks of residents Inderjit Singh and Saabi were punctured, and their vehicles suffered damage. Investigating officer ASI Jeewan and SHO Gursharan Singh of Patiala police post said the object “did not resemble a drone—it looked more like a missile”. The Army has since taken custody of the parts.

Former sarpanch Gurwinder Naiyar said the impact shook the entire village.

“It felt like a bomb had gone off. At least four houses in our village have been badly affected,” he added.

A similar object was recovered from the fields in Mahaddipur village near Adampur. SHO Gursharan Singh confirmed that all debris from various locations was collected and handed over to Army personnel.

Adampur MLA Dr Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, who visited the affected sites, confirmed that only one person was injured. “It is a matter of great relief that no lives were lost. We are working closely with the authorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Hoshiarpur district’s Dhutha Sandhra village, similar drone parts and some fragments of a missiel were recovered and collected by Army teams. Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain also appealed to people not to touch any unfamiliar device.

As the investigation continues, security has been stepped up across the region, and villagers remain on edge after the mysterious and alarming series of scary events.