Heightened Security in Patna as News of Army’s Cross-Border Strikes Grips Public Imagination

Patna: Security was ramped up across Patna in the early hours of Wednesday following the Indian Army’s airstrikes on nine terror hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

As news of the cross-border operation spread, the city stirred from its slumber. While the strikes were believed to have occurred shortly after midnight, it was only by early morning that people across Patna began to take in the significance of the Army’s action. Television screens flickered to life in countless homes, phones buzzed with updates, and discussions about the implications of the airstrikes dominated conversations across the city.

Patrolling was visibly intensified overnight. Police vehicles were stationed at key junctions, and officers were seen questioning late-night commuters. According to a senior Patna Police official, instructions to increase vigilance were issued “from above” shortly after midnight. “Security has been beefed up not just in the urban pockets but in the rural belts too,” the officer said. “Sensitive government and non-government facilities are under heightened watch.”

By daybreak, the Army’s operation had become the central topic of discussion in markets, neighbourhoods, and office spaces. Alongside expressions of support, speculation swirled about the scale of the damage inflicted across the Line of Control and the possibility of further escalation.

Residents, who had anticipated a response following the Pahalgam attack, debated the next steps. Questions were raised: Would India stop here? Would Pakistan retaliate? Was this the beginning of a larger military response?

In a city no stranger to political discourse, the mood was now one of intense national interest, shaped not by political alignments but by shared concerns over security and strategic response.