A bright, comet-like light spotted in the skies over Odisha on the evening of May 8 sparked widespread curiosity among residents and on social media.
Videos shared online showed the object streaking across the sky while releasing orange and white trails. Viewers claimed the phenomenon was visible not only in Odisha but also as far as Bangladesh.
The Defence Ministry later clarified that the sighting was connected to a successful test of an upgraded Agni missile equipped with MIRV technology. The launch was carried out from Abdul Kalam Island near Chandipur in Odisha.
According to the ministry, MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle) capability enables a single missile to engage multiple targets. During the test, the missile was fired toward multiple targets in the Indian Ocean region, and all targets were successfully destroyed.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the armed forces on the successful trial.
