Mock drill to be held in J&K and 3 other states bordering Pakistan tomorrow evening

Following a terror attack in Pahalgam, the Centre earlier nationwide civil defence mock drill

The Centre has announced that a civil defence mock drill will be held in the border states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and J&K on Thursday  evening, according to News18.

The mock drill would reportedly showcase preparedness against potential terrorist threats and would aim at evaluating response strategies in the event of a hostage crisis and terror attack.

This move comes weeks after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conducted Operation Abhyas - a nationwide mock drill - on May 7, hours before India launched Operation Sindoor. Last time, anti- terror squads and commandos armed with ultra-modern weapons simulated a real-life terrorist attack.

The mock drill on May 7 marked the first such countrywide civil defence mobilisation since 1971, when India and Pakistan last went to war.

A civil defence mock drill is a response exercise conducted by government authorities. It is usually held to test and improve preparedness for disasters or crises such as earthquakes, floods, chemical leaks, terror attacks, nuclear emergencies or war.

In the early hours of May 7 morning, India launched a military operation targeting terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). The operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, involved the deployment of air, naval, and land-based assets. It was India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives.

According to News18, these following steps may be included in the mock drill.

Air raid warning sirens:  Testing of air raid sirens may be conducted to ensure that civilians could be promptly alerted in the event of an aerial attack.

Bunkers: Civilians will be told how to take shelter in protected zones. Regions close to potential conflict zones, such as Kashmir’s Uri, have begun preparing community bunkers.

Blackout: Blackout procedures may also be part of the May 29 mock drills. “When a blackout siren sounds, the standard operating procedure must be followed. The drill will evaluate the sirens’ functionality and people’s response efficiency. All stakeholders need to be familiar with the SOP," officials told News18.

Training civilians and students: The  drill aspect will acquaint civilians, students, and hospital staff with civil defence volunteers to ensure they follow instructions during emergencies. Authorities will discuss evacuation plans with institutions.