New Delhi: Today, Civil Defence Mock Drills are being conducted in 244 districts nationwide to prepare for potential threats. Public cooperation is encouraged during these exercises, which involve various local authorities and volunteers. ‘Operation Abhyaas’ occurs at 55 locations in Delhi, while Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat also participate with specific drills aimed at enhancing disaster response readiness.

A large-scale mock drill, dubbed Operation Abhyas, will take place on Wednesday, May 7, across 244 locations in India as part of a nationwide preparedness exercise. Initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the drill aims to enhance readiness for potential India-Pakistan conflict amid rising political tensions, particularly following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The simulation will include air raids, blackouts, evacuations, and emergency rescue operations, designed to prepare both citizens and local authorities for possible war scenarios.

Drills are scheduled to commence at 4 PM, with timings varying by location. In Delhi, the drill will last from 4 PM to 7 PM; Jhansi will conduct its session at the Reserve Police Lines; Bareilly will experience a brief blackout; and in Kerala, multiple drills across 14 districts will start at the same time. Additionally, air raid simulations will occur in Visakhapatnam and sirens in Dehradun. This initiative strengthens civil defense capabilities and raises public awareness for emergencies, contributing to the Integrated Response System (IRS) to protect citizens during crises.

The central government has mandated nationwide civil defence mock drills on May 7 to prepare states and UTs for potential “hostile attacks,” particularly following the Pahalgam terrorist incident that claimed 26 lives. The drills will occur across over 250 districts in response to escalating tensions with Pakistan, triggered by a shooting in Jammu and Kashmir where terrorists, reportedly linked to Pakistan, attacked tourists.

These mock drills are designed to assess India’s readiness for emergencies such as air raids, blackouts, and evacuations, serving as crucial components of the nation’s passive defence strategy. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, maintaining optimal Civil Defence preparedness is essential given the current geopolitical landscape.

Despite public concerns, schools, colleges, banks, and government offices will remain open during the drills, ensuring daily routines continue with minimal disruption. Brief blackout drills may occur at select locations to simulate emergency shutdowns aimed at enhancing safety during potential air raids. These measures are crucial for reducing visibility and casualties in real threats.

During the mock drills, several key activities will take place as outlined by the government notice. These include activating Air Raid Warning Sirens, establishing communication links with the Indian Air Force, and manning control rooms. The drills will also involve training civilians and students on civil defense techniques for self-protection during hostile situations. Additionally, civil defense services, including firefighting and rescue operations, will be activated. Other tasks will encompass implementing crash blackout measures, camouflaging essential installations, updating defense plans, and rehearsing evacuation strategies, as well as cleaning bunkers and trenches.

Participants in the drills will include Civil Defence volunteers, Home Guards, the National Cadet Corps (NCC), the National Service Scheme (NSS), local police, and students, necessitating cooperation across various agencies, with civilians potentially joining in. However, the public need not be alarmed, as the drills are a pre-scheduled exercise, not an emergency. There is currently no indication that mobile or internet services will be disrupted during the May 7 mock drills, and citizens are encouraged to remain calm and follow authorities’ instructions. The drills primarily aim to evaluate response mechanisms and preparedness for any hostile attacks.

New Delhi, May 7: As Indian armed forces successfully struck 9 high-value terror targets across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’, a barrage of misinformation emerged from Pakistani media outlets and government-affiliated sources, attempting to distort the narrative of India’s counterterrorism operation.

Multiple Pakistani government-linked media houses and social media accounts began circulating unverified and misleading claims in the hours following the surgical strikes.

Many of these claims were quickly flagged as fake by independent analysts and India’s official fact-checking mechanisms.

Among the most prominent falsehoods was the claim that Pakistan had responded with missile strikes on 15 locations within Indian territory.

Several other posts falsely alleged that the Pakistan Air Force had targeted the Srinagar Airbase and that an Indian Army Brigade Headquarters had been destroyed.

These claims were aggressively pushed on X, especially by accounts with substantial followings tied to Pakistan’s military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

However, neither visual nor satellite evidence was provided to corroborate any of these claims. Official fact-checks revealed that many of the visuals used to support the misinformation were not only unrelated but also outdated.

“In a video shared by several pro-Pakistan handles, it is being falsely claimed that the Pakistan Air Force has targeted Srinagar airbase. The video shared is old and NOT from India. The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in the year 2024 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Rely only on official Government of India sources for authentic information,” the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check division posted on X.

In another post, the PIB Fact Check said, “Social media posts falsely claim that Pakistan destroyed Indian Brigade Headquarters. This claim is FAKE. Please avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information.”

Numerous images and clips shared in the wake of the operation were later identified as either digitally altered from unrelated past events or archival footage being repurposed to create a false sense of retaliation.

Despite the clear absence of substantiation, these fabricated narratives were amplified by several mainstream media outlets in Pakistan, indicating a coordinated attempt to control the post-operation discourse and project a retaliatory posture.

The Indian government has urged citizens and the media to rely solely on authenticated information issued by official sources.

New Delhi, May 7: Under ‘Operation Sindoor’, India has bombed multiple terror bases and camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as well as Pakistan, two women officers of the Indian Armed Forces informed the media on Wednesday.

Colonel Sophia and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, in a press conference with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, said that the military strikes were carried out between 1.05 to 1.30 a.m. in the wee hours on Wednesday on credible intelligence inputs and the purpose was to decimate and destroy the terror infrastructure, terror launching pads and indoctrination centres across the border.

The women officers also documented the details of calibrated and measured retaliation and gave a detailed account of terror factories operating from those centres.

Terror camps bombed in PoK

Sawai Nala, Muzaffarabad – This was situated about 30 km from the Line of Control (LoC) and was a training centre of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Those who carried out terror strikes in Gulmarg in 2024, those who unleashed mayhem in Pahalgam on April 22, got trained at this centre.

Syedna Bilal, Muzaffarabad was a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp, which stands decimated now.

Kotli Gulpur was a noted Lashkar base. The operatives trained here used to inflict terror in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Poonch regions. The terrorists, who were trained here, had attacked the Amanath pilgrims last year.

Barnala, Bimber, another terror camp in PoK is 9 km away from the LoC. This used to serve as a storage centre for IED and weapons.

Kotli Abbas camp, located at 13 km from LoC was a Lashkar-e-Taiba base, and fidayeen bombers were trained here.

Terror Targets in Pakistan

Sarjal, Sialkot, located about 6 km from the International Border (IB), used to train terrorists. In March 2025, 5 J&K cops were killed, and the perpetrators who did it were trained here.

Bahalwapur, the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was a hiring centre and indoctrination centre.

Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot, situated 8 km from IB, served as the Hizbul Mujahideen centre. Terrorists trained here had carried out attacks in Pathankot.

Markaj Taiba, Muridke, about 18-25 km from the IB. At this centre, 26/11 killers were trained, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley.