India carried out missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. As a result, border states such as Rajasthan and Punjab are on high alert. The strikes targeted training centres used by terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. In preparation for any possible retaliation from Pakistan, local authorities have cancelled all police leaves and placed restrictions on public gatherings.

Security measures in Rajasthan and Punjab

Rajasthan, which shares a 1,037-km border with Pakistan, is on high alert. The border has been fully sealed, and the Border Security Force (BSF) has been given shoot-on-sight orders if any suspicious activity is spotted. The Indian Air Force is also on high alert, with flights from airports in Jodhpur, Kishangarh, and Bikaner suspended until May 9. Fighter jets are conducting air patrols in the western sector, and missile defence systems have been activated.

In the affected areas, including Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Jaisalmer, and Barmer districts, schools have been shut, and ongoing exams have been postponed. The local authorities are prepared with evacuation plans for border villages in case of an emergency. Anti-drone systems have also been activated along the border to prevent enemy surveillance. Additionally, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur have been ordered to observe blackouts from midnight to 4 a.m. to make it harder for enemy pilots to target them with high-speed aircraft.

In Punjab, similar measures have been taken. Police personnel's leaves have been cancelled, and public gatherings have been restricted. Punjab's Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, also cancelled all government programmes due to the tense situation at the border.

Operation Sindoor and its aftermath

India’s missile strikes, known as Operation Sindoor, targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation was in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 innocent people. India emphasized that the operation did not target any Pakistani military installations, and its goal was to destroy terror training centres used to plan attacks on Indian soil.

The Resistance Front, which took responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, is linked to the banned Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri explained that India's actions were “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible”, aimed at dismantling the terrorist infrastructure. He added, “They focused on dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorists likely to be sent across to India.”

On the other hand, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, called the missile strikes an "act of war" and stated that Pakistan had every right to give a "befitting reply".

 

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