Within hours of announcing that firing and military action will be stopped by 1700 hours Saturday, there were reports of explosions in Srinagar and Udhampur, with blackouts declared in both cities. Pakistan, government sources said, has opened small arms and mortar fire in some places along the Line of Control. Sources said that Pakistani drones have also been sighted from J&K and Rajasthan following the pattern of escalatory action of the previous two nights. Sources said there was heavy shelling in Udhampur and multiple explosions in Srinagar. Sirens were sounded, and blackouts were ordered. At 9.15 pm, posting a video of a blast and light streaks in the sky, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.” In a post 15 minutes earlier, he had said, “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar.” In Rajasthan’s Barmer district, the District Magistrate sounded an alert about an “incoming air raid”. He called for “urgent blackout” in the city.
