Sirens saved our lives: Residents recall as Pak targets civilians in Jammu

“We woke up to sound of sirens blaring... moments later, a massive blast rocked our house,” recalled a resident of Rehari Colony in Jammu city that was among the worst-hit in the region by intense mortar shelling and drone strikes by Pakistan early on Saturday, 10 May.

The morning assault came hours after multiple drones were intercepted overnight by Indian armed forces.

The attacks struck six locations in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, waking residents from their sleep with deafening explosions.

Among the worst-hit was the densely populated Rehari Colony, where a bomb tore through the home of Gulshan Dutta, leaving the structure and several nearby vehicles in ruins.

One person was injured, but the family narrowly escaped.

“We stepped out onto the balcony after waking up to the sound of sirens and rushed to the ground floor. Moments later, a massive blast rocked our house,” Dutta’s wife recalled.

“The sirens saved our lives,” she said. “If we hadn't moved, we would have been dead. Mata Rani protected us.”

Scenes of devastation in Rehari Colony resembled a war zone -- splintered concrete, twisted metal, shattered windows and fragments embedded in walls and vehicles.

Around 5:15 am today, Dutta heard the blast that shook his home to its foundation.

“Our entire house trembled. We thought it was the end,” he said.

Another bomb reportedly targeted the revered Aap Shambhu temple but landed near an isolated house instead, averting what could have been mass casualties.

“We had come for our morning prayers when a loud explosion shattered the silence. Debris flew everywhere,” said Sudesh Kumar, a devotee.

“Had it happened later, dozens could have been killed,” he said.

In Janipur, a shell tore through the roof of a home, causing widespread damage in the vicinity. However, the family had locked the house and moved to another place due to fear.

Several neighbourhoods reported panic and sleepless nights following the explosions and overnight drone activity.

“We were up all night due to the drone alerts. Then came the blasts. There is fear now… people feel unsafe even in their homes,” said Omkar Singh, a resident of Jainpur.

Shakuntala Devi from Hazuribagh echoed the concern. “They are targeting civilians now. When they can’t fight our army, they try to break us by hitting innocents,” she said.

Despite the fear, some residents voiced defiance. Kartar Chand, who works in a warehouse near a business hub, witnessed a shell explode nearby early today.

“We are not afraid, but Pakistan must be made to pay for this. They must not be allowed to continue sponsoring terror in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Talab Tillo resident Devi Sharan Gupta said the attacks brought back memories of the 1971 war.

“I haven’t seen anything like this in Jammu since then. This kind of deliberate targeting of civilian areas is unprecedented,” he said.

On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir’s chief minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attacks, calling them “the worst targeting of civilians in Jammu city since 1971”.