Blackout in Jammu, Kishtwar after drone attacks from Pak, threats neutralised by Indian forces
Srinagar: A complete blackout was reported in Jammu and Kishtwar districts on Thursday night following loud explosions that created panic across the region. The disruption came after Pakistan reportedly launched loitering munitions towards Jammu, prompting action from Indian Air Defence units.
According to official sources, Indian forces successfully intercepted and shot down a total of eight drones that had intruded into Indian airspace. These drones, suspected to be weaponised loitering munitions, were neutralised before they could cause any damage.
Sirens were heard across Kishtwar district during the night as a precautionary measure, and residents remained indoors amid the tense situation. The blackout in both Jammu and Kishtwar was carried out as part of standard protocol to avoid visibility for aerial threats during possible attacks.
The attempted drone attack follows India’s successful execution of Operation Sindoor earlier this week, in which nine terror infrastructure sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed in a coordinated precision strike. In retaliation, Pakistan reportedly tried to target multiple Indian military locations, including installations in Amritsar. However, all such attempts were thwarted by Indian defences, officials confirmed.
Pakistan has targeted Jammu.. A complete blackout has been enforced in Akhnoor of Jammu Division; sirens are being heard.#IndiaPakistanWar #OperationSindoor #OperationSindoor2#JusticeIsServedJaiHind#PehalgamTerroristAttack#AirDifence #AirWar #DroneAttack#AttackOnPakistan pic.twitter.com/AaLVNMGb41
— Travelling Storyteller (@PrajjPearl_123) May 8, 2025
#BREAKING: Jammu at present is under attack. Drones across the night sky. Blackout has happened across the city. Indian forces neutralising the threat. pic.twitter.com/lvUxq5Opgv
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 8, 2025
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Uncontrolled digging could erase Dharmasthala mass burial evidence: Soil scientist warns SIT
Bengaluru: A soil scientist, who has studied tropical lateritic soils, has released a note in anonymity, warning the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala (1994–2014) that improper excavation could permanently destroy critical forensic evidence.
The scientist cautioned that in the coastal, high-rainfall environment of Dharmasthala, bones from older graves are often not visually present due to the region’s acidic laterite soil, which accelerates decomposition. “In these conditions, the visual absence of bones does not mean there was no burial,” the expert stressed. “Chemical and microscopic soil analysis may be the only way to detect older graves.”
According to the soil scientist, Dharmasthala’s lateritic soil has a pH of 4.5–6, is porous and rich in iron and aluminium oxides, and is subject to over 3,500 mm of annual rainfall. These factors together cause rapid bone mineral dissolution and collagen breakdown. “In as little as 15–20 years, complete skeletons can be reduced to just teeth, enamel shards, or micro-residues,” the scientist said.
Drawing on comparisons with Rwanda, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Srebrenica, the scientist estimated that:
- Graves less than 15 years old have a reasonable chance of yielding skeletons.
- Graves 15–20 years old may yield only partial skeletons and teeth.
- Burials older than 20 years often retain only chemical signatures and microscopic fragments.
“In Dharmasthala’s soil, the probability of finding a full skeleton after two decades is near zero,” the expert said.
‘JCBs will destroy what’s left’
The soil scientist was particularly critical of the use of heavy machinery in the investigation. “Uncontrolled digging with JCBs can obliterate brittle bone fragments, erase burial stratigraphy, and mix burial soil with surrounding soil, diluting chemical signals,” he warned. “It’s equivalent to destroying the crime scene.”
The scientist emphasised that disturbed lateritic soil can quickly resemble undisturbed ground, making it almost impossible to detect graves later.
GPR as a map, not a microscope
The expert also noted that Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) could play a limited role in the investigation. “GPR can help locate soil disturbances, but in wet, iron-rich lateritic soils, it cannot ‘see bones.’ For burials decades old, chemical analysis of soil is far more reliable,” he said.
Call for controlled forensic exhumation
The soil scientist urged the SIT to stop all mechanical digging and adopt a forensic protocol:
- Use GPR or other non-invasive methods to locate anomalies.
- Excavate in small, measured layers under forensic supervision.
- Collect soil samples for chemical and microscopic analysis.
- Sieve soil to recover micro bone fragments and teeth.
“Only a controlled, scientific approach will preserve what little evidence may remain in this environment,” the scientist said. “If these traces are destroyed, the truth about the alleged burials may never be proven.”
The SIT is investigating allegations of mass burials linked to the disappearance of individuals between 1994 and 2014 in Dharmasthala. No official response to the scientist’s concerns has been issued.
