Cops deny social media claims of Amritsar blasts, say it was a blackout purely out of ‘utmost caution’

In the early hours of Thursday, the Amritsar district administration initiated a complete blackout as part of a civil defence drill, shortly after a nationwide mock drill was conducted across multiple states and Union Territories. The blackout was part of ‘Operation Abhyaas’, a Ministry of Home Affairs initiative designed to test emergency preparedness in the wake of recent security concerns.

According to the District Public Relations Officer, the blackout in Amritsar was enforced “taking utmost caution,” with a directive issued asking residents to stay indoors and keep all exterior lights switched off. The blackout extended to several surrounding areas, including Kathunangal and Majitha, where power supply was also intentionally cut. The statement urged people not to panic or gather outside their homes.

The civil defence mock drills, held nationwide, included simulations of air raids, fire emergencies, and rescue operations. These drills were conducted in nearly 300 ‘civil defence districts’ that house sensitive infrastructure such as nuclear plants, military bases, refineries, and hydroelectric dams. In Punjab, such exercises took place in districts like Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Pathankot, Barnala, Mohali, and Amritsar.

The blackout followed just hours after the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. The mock drills aimed to examine the training of civilians, efficiency of blackout measures, camouflaging of critical installations, and evacuation procedures.

Amid the blackout, residents in parts of Amritsar reported hearing loud blast-like sounds, particularly in areas like Dasua Ghanieke Bangar and Kartarpur. However, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Bhullar confirmed there were no incidents in Amritsar and dismissed the reports as unverified. “We checked and there were no incidents in Amritsar,” he stated. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney added, “We are observing precaution. There is no need to panic.”