LUCKNOW: A red alert was issued in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, with the administration conducting mock drills across the state to prepare for any eventuality.
The move follows air strikes carried out under Operation Sindoor, in which Indian defence forces targeted and destroyed terrorist camps and infrastructure at nine locations inside Pakistan.
UP DGP Prashant Kumar, while announcing red alert, asked the state police authorities to work in tandem with Army and the India Air Force to ensure security of significant installation in the state.
Claiming that state police were in alert mode and ready to provide security to citizens, the DGP said that the security of important religious and other establishments was spruced up in the state.
While security was enhanced with the deployment of over 600 police personnel in and around Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi, the police authorities increased patrolling and vigilance at Shree Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and around the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Babri litigant Iqbal Ansari prayed for Indian Army saying that with the grace of Allah, the Indian forces would answer the evil designs of Pakistan and name it as Hindustan. “For the demonic forces like Pakistan, Lord Ram is needed. Pakistan has been responded in such a language that it will never forget,” said Ansari.
Additionally, security was heightened at key locations including Varanasi Airport, Kanpur Central Railway Station, and the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, with intensive vehicle checks underway. This marks the first red alert issued in the state in decades.
“It was during 1971 war that the state was kept on red alert. After that, it is the first such occasion when a red alert has been declared,” says former UP DGP Sulkhan Singh.
As per UP police authorities, red alert is warning system which indicates at emergency situation. “People are asked to be alert and follow administration’s instructions during a terror threat or war like situation. It is mandatory to follow the ‘Red Alert’ as it is meant for the security of citizens,” says a senior police official.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Operation Sindoor, UP CM Yogi Adityanath congratulated the Armed Forces , SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took to X to post in Sanskrit:
“Parakramo Vijyate (courage wins).”
On the other, former CM and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati called Operation Sindoor, a commendable act of pride.
However, post-Operation Sindoor, celebrations were reported from different districts across UP. While fireworks were seen in Sambal and Chandausi, people played Holi with colours and distributed sweets in Gonda.
In Varanasi, locals , traders and businessmen posed with lemon and chillies to keep the country’s army safe from evil eye and burst firecrackers.
At the same time, the mock drill was conducted in various districts, including Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Kanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaziabad and Moradabad, of the state on Wednesday. Residents of Varanasi were trained on how to protect themselves during an attack, with sirens sounding to simulate real-time emergency alerts.
Civilians were also trained in dousing the fire. Scenes of a stampede were recreated during a mock drill, and people were told how to save themselves in such a situation. They were also imparted training in giving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in case of an emergency.
In Chitrakoot, scenes of air strikes were recreated and the people were told how to cope with it. In Ghaziabad and Moradabad, people were told to lie down on the ground covering their ears, soon after hearing the sirens.
While the Union government had identified 19 districts of UP for mock drill but the state administration decided to conduct it across all the districts.