Out On Vaishno Devi Pilgrimage, Indore’s Friends Group Gets Stuck In Katra Amid Cross-Border Firing By Pakistan

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A group of pilgrims from Indore who visited the Mata Vaishno Devi temple are stranded in Katra after the attack by Pakistan on Thursday.

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, loud explosions were heard near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir early Friday morning.

The pilgrims including Subhendra Singh, Atharva Singh, Akshat Singh, Tejendra Singh, Prithviraj Singh, Aditya Singh, Disha Chauhan, Vaishali Thakur, and Sakshi Singh are stranded in Katra after fresh tension in Jammu and Kashmir due to shelling from across the border.

Following the attack, a blackout has been enforced in Katra. Lights are off even in hotels, army troops are stationed across the town, and sirens are heard frequently.

Local markets shut down early, and long lines for food have formed at hotels where pilgrims are being asked to stay for safety.

The situation escalated after a rocket was fired at Jammu airstrip on Thursday, creating panic.

In response, security forces ordered evacuation of pilgrims from the shrine area and tightened security across the region.

All flights have been canceled, trains are overcrowded, and no cars are available from Jammu or Katra.

Travel to Punjab or Delhi by road is also difficult, as many drivers are refusing to go due to safety concerns.