Early on Friday, people in the city of Amritsar reportedly heard “two loud bangs” which woke them up. However, the officials have said that the fighter jets of the Indian Air Force were flying near the border with Pakistan.
Senior superintendent of police (rural) Parampal Singh said that it was a sonic boom of the fighter jets of the Indian air force. Sonic boom happens by shock waves created by any object that travels through the air faster than the speed of sound. “The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out an exercise last night during which many fighter jets flew near the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar at supersonic speeds”, said the SSP.
Social media soon exploded with residents revealed their terror and doubts online, “blasts” and ”heightened air activity” in the city and soon #Amritsar started trending with conversation around “sonic booms”, “low flying jets and “loud sounds across the sky”.
“We have gathered information from Verka, Sultanwind area, bus stand, railway station, Airport Road, Chheharta etc. We have not got any information about any blast in the city. Even, we didn’t get any such information at our emergency numbers”, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-city 1) Jagjit Singh Walia said. He also appealed to the people not to believe the rumours being spread on social media.