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News18
07-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Operation Abhyaas: Karnataka, Witness To Past Terror Attacks, Conducts Mock Drills
Last Updated: Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the state has critical defence establishments while Bengaluru, besides being India's IT hub, contributes the second-highest GST revenue Karnataka conducted 'Operation Abhyaas' with a heightened focus as the state has been a target of terror attacks in the past. Bengaluru, the IT capital of the country, is also home to sensitive defence installations. A mock drill was conducted at the Karnataka Civil Defence premises, while a similar exercise will soon be held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, said DGP Prashant Kumar Thakur, who heads the Home Guards and Civil Defence. Bengaluru has witnessed several low-intensity blast incidents in the past, including the 2024 Rameshwaram Café blast in Whitefield, Church Street blast in 2014, Malleswaram blasts in 2013, Chinnaswamy Stadium blast in 2010, nine blasts at different locations in 2008, and the IISc terror attack in 2005. According to official sources, the Chinnaswamy stadium is one of the venues for IPL matches in the state, which is why it is important to keep it under surveillance. 'A mock drill will also be conducted there as it has been a target earlier as well for terror attacks and it can house more than 40,000 people at one point and makes it a critical location," Thakur said. 'Bengaluru has been on the radar of terrorist activity before. We have identified sleeper cells in the state earlier and neutralised them as well. Our forces are prepared and have been sensitised to handle any situation," said Karnataka home minister Dr G Parameshwara. Parameshwara stressed that Karnataka hosts critical defence establishments as well, and that Bengaluru, besides being India's IT hub, contributes the second-highest GST revenue in India. 'Such an exercise of getting ready for war was last seen in the 1971 war with Pakistan. A similar situation is now upon us. The Pahalgam incident has deeply hurt every Indian. The question arises – are we weak? Innocent people, including children and tourists, were brutally killed in beautiful Kashmir. Every Indian is fuming," he said. He said there is a war-like situation looming and people should be ready for any exigency. 'There is a sense that India may go to war, or Pakistan may strike us. The shadow of war looms. We are preparing, and this drill is part of that preparation," he added. The minister described how civil defence forces are being trained to assist the military, secure public life, and maintain continuity of services like food, water, and healthcare. ''Operation Abhyaas' shows how we can support our forces and help people stay safe during emergencies," he said. He further said 244 districts across the country have been identified for their military and strategic importance, including three places in Karnataka – Raichur, Uttara Kannada, and Bengaluru. 'Raichur has several power stations. Karwar hosts our naval base. Bengaluru has vital defence and IT clusters," he added. While observing the rescue drill, Parameshwara also had a note of caution. 'I felt the rescue could have been faster. In a real situation, every minute matters. Even the fire personnel took 10 minutes to come down a ladder. This was a demonstration, but we are confident real-time responses will be quicker," he said. Calling the exercise crucial, he stressed on the need for public preparedness. 'We all must be prepared. We request the media to show this across the state so people know how to react. We will educate students in schools, colleges, and universities. Our officials will be sent to sensitise them," he added. Coastal guards and naval forces are also on alert, Parameshwara said. With Karnataka's long coastline, coastal security forces have ensured that the borders are ready and fully geared up for any emergency, he added. First Published:
New Indian Express
07-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Bengaluru to host Civil Defence mock drill under 'Operation Abhyaas' on Wednesday
BENGALURU: As part of 'Operation Abhyaas', a nationwide mock drill announced by the Union Government in 244 districts identified as vulnerable areas across the country, the Civil Defence exercise will be conducted in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Mock drills are also planned in Karwar and Raichur and the dates for the same are yet to be finalised. According to an official press release issued by the Karnataka State Police on Tuesday, the 244 districts have been categorised into Category I, II, and III based on the vulnerability assessment. In Karnataka, Mallapura (Karwar), Shaktinagara (Raichur), and Bengaluru have been included in Category II Civil Defence Towns by the Ministry of Defence. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directives, the first Civil Defence exercise under 'Operation Abhyaas' will be conducted at around 4 pm on Wednesday on the premises Civil Defence Head Quarters on Annaswamy Mudaliar Road, Ulsoor. A senior Civil Defence officer said that the mock drill will include simulation of an incoming air raid, activation of sirens, prescribed response actions, and blackout measures. It will also involve rescue and search techniques during a building fire, casualty evacuation, setting up of temporary hospitals, and evacuation of civilians from endangered areas to bunkers and demilitarised zones. He said that during the mock drill, sirens will be activated in three phases, each producing a distinct alarm tone. 'These sirens can be heard up to a distance of approximately 3 km,' he said. Mock drills will vary across districts based on their assigned category. Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kumar Thakur, Director General of Police and Commandant General of Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), said sirens have been installed at 35 locations in Bengaluru, including police and fire stations. Of these, 32 sirens are currently functional, he said. He added that the Union Government will issue advisories and guidelines outlining the dos and dont's for the general public. He also mentioned that the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Civil Defence personnel, and medical professionals will participate in the mock drills.
Hans India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Mock Drills to be Held in Bengaluru, Raichur & Karwar After Pahalgam Attack
Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, tensions with Pakistan have increased. To be ready, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordered mock drills in 244 locations across India on May 7. These drills are being held in many cities, including Bengaluru, Raichur, and Karwar in Karnataka. Why These Places Were Chosen: Prashant Kumar Thakur, head of the Home Guards, Civil Defence, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), explained why these cities were selected. Bengaluru is a big city with a large population. It is also home to top IT and biotech companies. Important places like ISRO, DRDO, and the Yelahanka Air Force Base are also in Bengaluru. Raichur has a big thermal power plant, which helps make electricity for the state. Karwar has the Kaiga nuclear power plant—one of the biggest in India. It is also near INS Kadamba, a major naval base. Thakur said all mock drills would be finished by 4 PM on May 7. More About the Drills: Thakur said that in the past, civil defence forces were active during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. But later, these activities slowed down. Now, the MHA wants to activate civil defence forces again. He added that the MHA held video meetings with state officials to plan these drills. A police officer said that Karnataka cities are in Category B. This means their mock drills are different from the ones near border states like Punjab or Jammu & Kashmir. What is the Aim? The goal of the drill is to: Train people, especially civilians and students, Teach how to stay safe during enemy attacks Early on Wednesday, the Indian armed forces carried out 24 missile strikes on 9 terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes hit important terror hubs, including Muridke – a stronghold of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Bahawalpur – a base of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
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Business Standard
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Civil defence drill in Bengaluru today: Everything you need to know
As part of the nationwide civil defence drills planned for today, Karnataka will conduct the exercise across three districts — Bengaluru urban, Karwar, and Raichur, said Prashant Kumar Thakur, Director General for Fire and Emergency Services and Civil Defence, Karnataka. India conducted retaliatory action against the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, hitting nine targets, in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack. Bengaluru city has been chosen due to its population density as well as the fact that it is home to a large number of big tech firms and public sector undertakings (PSUs). Uttara Kannada's Karwar has been selected due to the presence of the Kaiga nuclear power plant, while Raichur will undergo the mock drills due to the presence of the KPCL Raichur thermal power plant. What is a civil defence drill? Civil defence drills are designed to simulate real-life emergency situations such as industrial fires, bomb threats, natural disasters, or air attacks, and test the response times of local agencies. The aim is to check preparedness of all the states and Union Territories in case of an emergency and plug gaps wherever necessary. Why is the mock drill happening? Following the Pahalgam attack, India has imposed various diplomatic measures and conducted multiple military drills. Meanwhile, Pakistan military said that it has test fired two missiles, even as its troops have been violating ceasefire protocols along the Line of Control for 12 consecutive days now. In its letter to various states and UTs, the Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards said, "In the current geo-political scenario, new and complex threats/challenges have emerged, hence, it would be prudent that optimum civil defence preparedness in the states/UTs is maintained at all times." What's going to happen? Today's drill will include the following measures: Testing of air raid warning systems. Functionality checks of main and shadow control rooms. Civilian and student training on defence protocols. Simulation of crash blackouts. Camouflaging of critical infrastructure. Activation drills for firefighters and rescue teams. Evacuation rehearsals. Who needs to participate?
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Amid Op Sindhoor strikes, Bengaluru to conduct city-wide mock drill. Check timings and location
Amid heightened security following India's retaliatory strikes across the border, Bengaluru is all set to witness a large-scale civil defence mock drill as part of Operation Abhyas, a nationwide preparedness exercise ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday. Mock drill to be conducted in Bengaluru today. (Pic for representation)(PTI) Also Read - Karnataka MLA and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy sentenced to 7 years in Obulapuram illegal mining scam The mock drill was held at 3:30 PM at the Civil Defence Headquarters in Ulsoor, with coordinated activity across multiple police stations and fire stations in the city. Bengaluru is among 244 districts across India identified as vulnerable, and has been categorised under Category II Civil Defence Towns by the Ministry of Defence based on a vulnerability assessment. What the drill simulated The drill aimed to prepare civilians and emergency responders for a range of hostile attack scenarios. Simulations included: Incoming air raid response with phased siren activation and enforced blackout measures Building fire emergencies Search and rescue operations Casualty evacuation from hazardous zones Setting up of temporary hospitals Evacuation of civilians to demilitarized safety bunkers Sirens were activated city-wide, sounding in three distinct alarm tones, each indicating different stages of a threat. These tones served to educate both the public and civil defence personnel on how to respond during a real emergency. Bengaluru has a 5,000-strong Civil Defence force, and all personnel were mobilised as part of today's exercise. Officials confirmed that drills were carried out at strategic locations, including Ulsoor, major police stations, fire stations, and traffic-sensitive areas. The aim was to simulate real-time coordination between departments during potential air or terror strikes. Also Read - Mock drills in Karnataka: Three locations in the state to train civilians tomorrow. Full details The timing of the drill comes on the heels of 'Operation Sindhoor', India's overnight military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. In the early hours of May 7, India reportedly struck nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which intelligence agencies said were being used to support cross-border terrorism. Sources within the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the Operation Abhyas mock drills were part of a broader national contingency and readiness plan, ensuring that civil defence mechanisms are robust in the event of escalation or retaliation. The Bengaluru exercise was overseen by Prashant Kumar Thakur, Director General of Civil Defence and Home Guards, in coordination with the district administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Officials said more such drills will be conducted in coming days in other Karnataka cities like Raichur, Karwar, Mysuru, and Mandya, which also fall under vulnerability categories.
