Security Drill: Citizens advised to keep medical kits, torches, candles, cash
Sources said citizens will be instructed to keep medical kits with extra supplies, torches, and candles at home. also keep cash handy to navigate situations where mobile devices and digital transactions may fail.
Amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Home Ministry has directed all states to conduct mock security drills on Wednesday focusing on preparedness for various emergency scenarios.
A review meeting held in the Ministry of Home Affairs assessed the condition of civil defence installations across 244 districts—such as shelters, warning systems, and coordination facilities—are in working condition or require repairs. Training for civilians will be a key component of the drills.
According to a Home Ministry statement, the drills will focus on how to respond to air raid sirens and blackout situations. Sources said citizens will be instructed to keep medical kits with extra supplies, torches, and candles at home. As per sources, people will be advised to keep cash handy to navigate situations where mobile devices and digital transactions may fail.
The home ministry cited "new and complex threats" as the reason for these comprehensive exercises. Over 100 locations out of the 244 reviewed have been flagged as especially sensitive.
The mock drills will encompass several crucial measures, including the activating of air-raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil-defence strategies to ensure their safety during a "hostile attack," and the cleaning of existing bunkers and trenches.
Other measures outlined in a letter to the chief secretaries of all states and administrators of Union territories include provisions for crash-blackout procedures, the early camouflaging of critical plants and installations, and the updating and rehearsal of evacuation plans.
The drills will also involve testing the functionality of hotline and radio-communication links with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and assessing the readiness of control rooms.
The government has pledged a strong response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people, mostly tourists from other states, dead. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed retribution, saying those responsible will be pursued “to the ends of the earth” and “punished beyond their imagination”.
While Pakistan has denied any link to the attack, preliminary investigations suggest a cross-border link, with officials indicating involvement of Pakistan-based terror groups.
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