Operation Shield: Evacuation, Blackout Drills Conducted In J&K, Pakistan-Bordering States
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The security drills, supervised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, involved blackout procedures, evacuation simulations, and assessments of coordinated emergency responses.
Operation Shield: Civil defence drills were carried out on Saturday under 'Operation Sindoor' in several states bordering Pakistan, including Jammu and Kashmir, where a blackout exercise was conducted at Srinagar's iconic Lal Chowk.
The security drills, aimed at assessing emergency preparedness in the wake of the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan, were also carried out in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
In Srinagar, the drill simulated a fire emergency in a building, emphasising rescue efforts and firefighting protocols, and included a 10-minute blackout at Lal Chowk.
#WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir | Blackout mock drill carried out at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar under Operation Shield pic.twitter.com/9GIaJRwHGu — ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2025
Similar security exercises were seen in several districts across Jammu and Kashmir, including Akhnoor, Doda and Poonch as part of Operation Shield.
'We conducted a civil defence drill in line with the MHA guidelines under Operation Shield. The exercise aimed to assess the preparedness of the manpower, infrastructure and equipment. As part of the drill, we also carried out a 10-minute blackout," District Magistrate Dr Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat said.
The drills were supervised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and involved blackout procedures, evacuation simulations, and assessments of coordinated emergency responses.
In Chandigarh, the drills featured a range of scenarios, such as a blackout simulation, responding to a mock evacuation call to assess response time, and a separate exercise focusing on the mobilisation of home guards in emergency situations.
Security drills were also held in other places, including Ahmedabad, in Jaipur's Khatipura area.
It comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people lost their lives.
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