Locals fear intensified crackdown as India stages ‘anti-fidayeen’ mock drill in IIOJK
Jammu: A joint ‘anti-fidayeen; mock drill was conducted at the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine in Katra on Wednesday to assess the preparedness of security and emergency agencies ahead of Independence Day celebrations, officials said.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the exercise was supervised by the SP Reasi and jointly conducted by Indian Army, police, Special Operations Group and Central Reserve Police Force. Health services and fire and emergency services also participated.
The drill assessed the response of various agencies, including immediate mobilisation, cordoning and sanitisation of the area, neutralisation of the simulated threat, evacuation of civilians, casualty management and fire and emergency response.
Police said the exercise also tested the effectiveness of standard operating procedures, communication channels and rapid response mechanisms, while identifying areas requiring further improvement.
Observers in IIOJK note that similar “mock drills” in the past have been followed by incidents that were later used to justify crackdowns, increased troop deployment and restrictions on civilians.
Given the timing ahead of August 15 and the simulation of a ‘fidayeen’ attack at a major religious site, there is apprehension among local residents whether the exercise is a genuine preparedness drill or a rehearsal to stage-manage a false flag operation to divert attention from political and human rights issues in IIOJK. No independent verification of the threat perception was provided by authorities.
