Despite the decision to stop military operations, Srinagar endured another day of explosion and fear

Srinagar: It was an unusual weekend in Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, which started with a loud explosion at 5:45 a.m. and ended with another explosion around 8:45 p.m. Then there was another long and sleepless night.Almost everyone in the city spanning Jhelum was restless as tensions erupted along the border. Fear and uncertainty are heavy. “This is not what we’ve seen in the last 35 years. It’s like in 1965 when we heard sirens and explosions in Srinagar.”
Earlier on Saturday, the city was shocked by a series of explosions between 5:45 a.m. and 6:15 a.m., followed by around noon. Officials later said the unknown projectile had landed in three areas, including near Srinagar Airport. A tense calm prevailed all day long. The schools and colleges are closed until May 12, and the airports in Srinagar and Jamu are closed at least until at least May 14. The road to the airport has been closed for several hours. A cavalry posted near the airport: “We are trying to track down the debris of the projectile.”
Public transportation is scarce, and the usually busy boulevard along Dahl Lake looks deserted. “These empty streets feel ominous. Something bad is coming,” Khusheed Ahmad Kar walked by the lake. His words became prophecy. At around 8:50 pm, multiple explosions once again shocked the city for nearly 40 minutes. It feels like Srinagar is under attack.

Residents saw the flying projectiles illuminating the night sky. “Our house is shaking every time it explodes. The red lights hang in the air. We have never seen it.” Ghulam Mustafa, 75, approached the Army’s Chinar Corps headquarters from Sonwar, just 2 km from Lal Chowk, where projectiles were also found.

The panic spread rapidly. The phone line buzzed. The power is turned off throughout the city. In some houses, women and children cry. The car stopped as people sought shelter. Exercise will only resume after 9:30 pm. “We heard the explosion at 5:45 a.m. and saw two projectiles on our uncle’s lawn. Police later took them away,” said Lasjan resident in the suburbs of the city. Two more were found in Dal Lake. As tensions in the Srinagar sky escalated, the government arranged safe access for non-local students and visitors through the reopened highway, which was recently cleared after a landslide. The J&K government has ensured that any possible situation is prepared. Basic supplies are in stock and the hospital is in an emergency.