Chandigarh: Amritsar was placed on high alert after a drone was sighted near the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport on Friday night, prompting the temporary suspension of airport operations and diversion of flights, officials said.
According to sources, the drone was spotted around 8.40 pm near the airport perimeter, following which authorities shut down operations for nearly an hour and carried out a complete sanitisation and security sweep of the premises. As a precautionary measure, a Malaysia Airlines flight from Sharjah to Amritsar was not allowed to land and was diverted to Chandigarh. One more flight was also diverted to Delhi.
In response to the incident, the Amritsar district magistrate imposed an immediate ban on drones and all other flying objects in the district.
Adding to the security concerns, a balloon reportedly drifted into Amritsar from Pakistan later the same night and landed on a rooftop. A banner with Urdu writing was found attached to it, and the matter is under investigation.
Senior police officials said security forces remain on high alert, with personnel deployed across sensitive areas. The airport director and CISF security teams were alerted immediately after the drone sighting, and local police and other security agencies were called in to conduct a thorough search of the airport.
Sources said drone activity was noticed near the runway area, which led authorities to halt flight operations as a precaution. After a detailed inspection and clearance from security agencies, airport operations were resumed.
While officials have not confirmed whether the drone originated from across the border or was flown locally, given Amritsar’s proximity to the Pakistan border, the incident triggered heightened concern. Chandigarh police headquarters have also been informed, and senior officers are monitoring the situation, sources added.
