Indian authorities order air raid, blackout drills across Kashmir districts
Srinagar : Indian authorities have ordered civil defence air raid and blackout mock drills in several districts of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, triggering fresh fear among residents already reeling under heavy militarization.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Kupwara district will conduct the exercise on April 24, with a mock drill at 3:30 PM followed by a blackout from 8:00 PM to 8:10 PM. In Islamabad district, the drill is scheduled for today with the same daytime and evening time windows.
Ganderbal administration is conducting the air raid mock drill today, followed by a district-wide blackout from 8:00 PM to 8:10 PM.
Residents have been directed to switch off all lights and sources of illumination — including inverters, solar lights, mobile flashlights, and vehicle lights — immediately after sirens.
Authorities also told people to cover windows or draw curtains to prevent light leakage. Officials claimed the objective is to “familiarize residents with emergency response procedures during crisis” and evaluate readiness of the public and administration. Essential and emergency services will continue, they said, calling the drill “only a precautionary measure.”
Observers say the sudden drills reflect New Delhi’s deepening anxiety in the territory. Heavy psychological pressure, mass surveillance, land grabs, and demographic changes under the Hindutva regime have pushed IIOJK into a state of perpetual siege, fueling unrest and alienation among Kashmiris.
Analysts note that this jingoism reflects Modi regime’s inability to digest its humiliating defeat in the Sindoor operation pushing it to frequent blackout drills to portray it as still a power to reckon with.
