JAIPUR: Following India's late-night air strike on terrorist camps at nine locations in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor, security measures have been significantly tightened across Rajasthan, which shares the longest border with the neighbouring country. The Indian Air Force targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed hideout in Bahawalpur, approximately 100 km from the Rajasthan border towns of Khajuwala and Anupgarh, triggering a nationwide alert and precautionary actions.
While the entire desert state has been placed on high alert, schools in Rajasthan’s border districts Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, and Sriganganagar have been closed. Airports in Bikaner and Jodhpur have also been shut as a precaution, and four flights were cancelled at Jaipur Airport. Residents of Jaisalmer and Barmer reported hearing fighter jets overhead around 2 a.m. on Tuesday. Initially assumed to be a routine exercise, it was later confirmed to be a live military operation targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
In Bikaner and Sriganganagar, all government employee leave has been cancelled, and officials have been ordered not to leave their headquarters. District administrations remain on high alert, with internal security surveillance intensified by local authorities.
In Bikaner, Wednesday’s scheduled school examinations were postponed by order of the District Collector. A decision on Thursday's exams is expected by the evening. However, teachers have been instructed to attend school as usual and participate in ongoing civil defence drills.
Additionally, a nationwide civil defence mock drill is being conducted in 28 cities, including Jaipur, on Wednesday. Jaipur has been designated a ‘moderately sensitive’ zone for the exercise. The drill will commence at 4 p.m., with sirens sounding simultaneously at 11 key locations, including Raj Bhavan, the Secretariat, and the BSNL office.
A citywide blackout is scheduled for 8 p.m., during which all streetlights, highway lights, and toll booth lights will be turned off. Citizens have been advised not to use inverters, mobile flashlights, or vehicle headlights during this period.
The Health Department has instructed hospitals to ensure their backup power systems are fully functional to maintain uninterrupted emergency services. Officials have described this as the most extensive civil defence exercise conducted since the Indo-Pak war of 1971.
Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) has been placed on high alert in Barmer, and local intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the internal security situation. Authorities have urged the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading rumours.
India’s air strike, which targeted a key Jaish-e-Mohammed facility in Pakistan, marks a significant escalation in its counter-terrorism strategy. In response, security agencies across northern India remain vigilant amid concerns of potential retaliation.
