Multiple loud blasts heard in Srinagar early Saturday

New Delhi: Loud bangs reverberated through Srinagar early Saturday morning, at around 5:50 AM IST, intensifying fears of a worsening conflict between India and Pakistan.

There were at least three blasts heard in the last 30 minutes, the latest at 6.15 am.

Drone attacks on Srinagar airport and Awantipora air base were thwarted late on Friday, while blasts were heard in Jammu and parts of the south Kashmir region, officials said.

The attack came a day after India thwarted attempts by the Pakistan military to hit Indian military installations using drones and missiles.

The sky was lit up in Baramulla district as the Indian military shot down Pakistani drones.

Blasts were heard and sirens sounded in the Jammu region and south Kashmir as many parts of the Union Territory plunged into darkness, officials said.

Defence officials said drones were sighted also in Jammu, Samba and neighbouring Pathankot district in Punjab, and they were being engaged.

In Srinagar, mosque loudspeakers were used to convey to locals to switch off their lights as a precautionary measure.

Officials said the drones were also engaged in Udhampur and Nagrota of Jammu and Punjab.

Heavy cross-border shelling was underway along the International Border in Suchetgarh and Ramgarh sectors of Jammu and Samba districts.