Catholic Priest Confirms Calm in Jammu Following Early Morning Drone Attack

Jammu, May 9, 2025 – A Catholic priest based in Jammu confirmed that normalcy has largely returned to the city following a series of drone-related explosions that occurred late last evening and again early Friday morning between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. The explosions are believed to be the result of the Indian Army intercepting multiple drones suspected to have been launched from Pakistan. No casualties have been reported so far.

While the incident caused temporary alarm among residents, no evacuation orders were issued, and essential services in Jammu city—including food, water, and electricity—remain unaffected.

Speaking to Catholic Connect News on condition of anonymity, the priest shared a firsthand account of what he experienced last night and this morning.

“I was in the chapel at my residence when I first heard the explosions last evening between 8:00pm and 8:35pm. Later, I went to the terrace and saw some of the blasts myself,” he said. The priest added that the explosions resumed with greater intensity early this morning. “The last three explosions I saw today were in the sky, not on the ground like last night.”

At the time of the explosions last night, the Bishop of the Diocese of Jammu-Srinagar was on a pastoral visit to a parish in Udhampur, approximately 65 kilometres from Jammu. He reportedly experienced a similar situation there, with gunfire heard nearby. "However, he returned safely to Jammu later that night," the priest said.

Despite the aerial threat, authorities have not called for evacuations in the Jammu Cantonment area. The Diocese of Jammu has also confirmed there are currently no plans to relocate clergy from the region. “We have access to all basic services here in the city,” the priest assured, though he acknowledged that conditions in remote border towns remain uncertain.

Another priest stationed in Arnia, a border town about 31 kilometres from Jammu, reported that he is safe and unharmed.

While normalcy has returned to the streets and people have resumed outdoor activities, the episode underscores the region’s continued vulnerability to cross-border tensions

By Catholic Connect Reporter