Sunday evening brought a tense calm to several border villages in Jammu and Kashmir as reports of suspected Pakistani drones began coming in from different directions almost simultaneously. By nightfall, security forces across Samba, Rajouri and Poonch were on alert, scanning the skies and combing the ground for any sign of weapons or contraband.

Officials said at least five drone movements were detected near the International Border and the Line of Control. Each object followed a similar pattern crossing over from across the border, hovering briefly over forward areas, and then disappearing back in the same direction.

In Rajouri’s Nowshera sector, Army personnel spotted one such object over Gania-Kalsian village around 6.35 pm. Troops responded immediately, firing light and medium machine guns to prevent any possible drop. Whether the drone was hit remains unconfirmed.

Minutes later, another blinking aerial object was noticed near Khabbar village in the Teryath area. Security officials believe it entered from Dharmsal village in Kalakote and moved further towards Bharakh before vanishing from sight.

The sightings were not limited to one district. In Samba’s Ramgarh sector, villagers and security personnel saw a drone-like object hovering over Chak Babral village around 7.15 pm. In Poonch, another suspicious movement was tracked from Tain towards Topa in the Mankote sector along the LoC.

As a precaution, the Army, police and other agencies launched coordinated search operations across multiple suspected drop zones. These searches continued late into the night.

The concern is sharper because just days earlier, security forces recovered a drone-dropped arms cache in Paloora village of Samba. The seizure included pistols, magazines, ammunition and a grenade.

Officials say the incidents point to a renewed attempt to use drones for cross-border smuggling and infiltration, a tactic that had slowed after Operation Sindoor. For now, the skies are being watched closely.