Evacuation simulations, blackout scenarios: Security drills in states bordering Pak

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Operation Shield, the second phase of the nationwide security drills, was held in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan - the states bordering Pakistan. The exercise included blackout protocols, evacuation simulations and coordinated emergency response checks.

Security drills being held in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on Saturday. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi,UPDATED: May 31, 2025 20:19 IST

In Short

Drills part of nationwide Operation Shield to test emergency readiness
Blackout scenarios, evacuation simulations, emergency response checks done
Drills follow May 7 nationwide exercise and after Operation Sindoor launch

Civil defence drills were held on Saturday in the states bordering Pakistan as part of the nationwide Operation Shield to test emergency readiness in these regions, weeks after the military conflict between India and Pakistan.

The exercise was held in states adjoining the western border, including Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan. The Ministry of Home Affairs oversaw the drills, which included blackout protocols, evacuation simulations and coordinated emergency response checks.

This phase followed the first nationwide drill conducted on May 7, just hours before the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists.

SECURITY DRILLS HELD:-

Security drills were organised in Chandigarh with scenarios like a blackout drill, receiving a mock call regarding evacuation, noting their response time and a separate exercise on the movement of home guards in emergency situations.
"We conducted the second civil defence drills here. We envisioned some scenarios in which we received a mock call from Chandigarh Air Force Station stating that some people needed to be relocated. We moved 20 people to the Sector 47 community centre. We noted the response time. We are also doing an exercise to ensure the movement of home guards in an emergency situation," DC Nishant Yadav said.
In Srinagar, the drill simulated a fire situation in a building, focussing on rescue operations and firefighting mechanisms, along with a 10-minute blackout at Lal Chowk.

"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.
A similar security drill was held in Amritsar along with a blackout protocol. An official said that the exercise was being held to ensure the coordination of civil defence departments during war-like situations.
"Several districts are at higher risk as they share a border with Pakistan, such as Amritsar, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Firozpur and Fazilka. Conducting such exercises is to ensure that maximum administration is operational during war-like situations. It teaches how to be safe at home during air strikes and drone attacks, staying at home and how to save oneself during blackouts," Commandant Jaskaran Singh said.
Security drills were also held in other places, including Ahmedabad, in Jaipur's Khatipura area, in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor, Doda and Poonch as part of Operation Shield.
"This is a security drill. We recently saw border shelling here. We wanted to raise awareness about this. If such an incident happens, people should be ready," SDM Akhnoor Mukhtar Ahmad said.
In the last security drill held on May 7, air raid warning sirens were activated while civilians and students were briefed on civil defence protocols on how to protect themselves and others around them in case of an attack. These security drills - the first of their kind since the 1971 war with Pakistan - were held in 250 locations across 33 states and union territories.