An unexploded Pakistani Fatah-1 series rocket was recovered from Dal Lake, Srinagar, during a routine clean-up drive conducted by officials from the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA).
This type of rocket is the same one Pakistan had previously claimed was used to target and ‘destroy’ the Srinagar Airbase. However, the recovered rocket fragment was found far away from any military installation, lying in the lake near a jungle area rather than close to the airbase or other defence sites.
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The rocket remnants were discovered during a de-weeding exercise when officials operating machines spotted the projectile parts and immediately informed local police. The police took the shell parts into custody, which were then handed over to Indian Air Force officials for further examination. This discovery relates back to explosions heard in Srinagar on the morning of May 10, 2025, during the period of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April 2025.
The May 10 blasts shook Srinagar, and locals found fragments of the projectile within the built-up area of Dal Lake, which also includes floating gardens. The recovery underscores the tensions in the region following cross-border strikes and highlights the ongoing need to manage unexploded ordnance and ensure public safety while preserving the lake’s environment.
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Pakistan had launched Fatah-series missiles during this conflict phase, aiming at Indian military targets, including airbases, but many were reportedly intercepted or did not cause significant damage, as verified by Indian sources and fact-checks debunking some Pakistani claims of damage to Srinagar Airbase.
Finding an unexploded Fatah-1 rocket in Dal Lake during a clean-up confirms the physical presence of these missiles in the area but contradicts Pakistan’s claims that a similar rocket destroyed Srinagar Airbase, as the rocket was found far from any military installation and suggests many missiles either missed targets or were intercepted successfully.
This incident also reflects the ongoing delicate security and environmental situation in Srinagar months after Operation Sindoor and related cross-border conflicts in May 2025.
Based On ET News Report
Agencies
