Bihar observes 10-minute blackout amid nationwide civil defence drills

Patna, May 7 (IANS) Amid rising tensions following India’s air strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, a 10-minute coordinated blackout was observed across six districts of Bihar, including capital Patna, on Wednesday evening.

At around 6.58 p.m., sirens began to blare across the state. As the alarm continued for two minutes, there was a power cut at 7 p.m., enveloping neighbourhoods, streets, and public spaces in darkness until 7.10 p.m.

The blackout was part of a nationwide mock drill organised in 244 districts by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in coordination with local disaster management and civil defence units, to prepare citizens for war-like emergencies.

During the drill, vehicles halted on the roads, drivers turned off their headlights, and citizens stood still in solidarity.

Streets remained quiet and dark as even inverter lights and backup systems were switched off by residents to simulate a real-time emergency.

People emerged from homes and raised slogans like “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” “Hindustan Zindabad,” and “Pakistan Murdabad.”

The drill was conducted in Patna, Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, and Begusarai, where local administrations made elaborate arrangements.

In Patna, access to the Mahavir Temple near the railway junction was temporarily suspended until 7.30 p.m. as a precautionary measure. A similar situation was seen in the Rajvanshinagar Hanuman temple as well.

Officials reported full public cooperation and successful implementation of the drill. Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar had earlier stated that the exercise aimed to test civil defence readiness and public awareness in light of current geopolitical conditions.

After the drill concluded, the power supply was restored and traffic resumed smoothly.

Earlier on Wednesday, in pre-dawn strikes, the Indian Armed Forces targetted locations in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Barnala, where several major terrorist camps were operating. These camps were known to have trained terrorists involved in past attacks on Indian soil, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2023 Poonch pilgrimage attack.

--IANS

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