Patna, May 7 (PTI) The civil defence mock drills were conducted in six districts of Bihar on Wednesday following a central government direction as part of a nationwide preparedness initiative, officials said.

Power supply was suspended for 10 minutes in Patna, Purnea, Katihar, Begusarai, Araria and Kishanganj during the exercise. Warning sirens were also activated before the blackout to alert citizens in all six districts.

It was part of a nationwide civil defence mock drill, ‘Operation Abhyaas’, simulating multiple hostile scenarios like air raids, fire emergencies, and search and rescue operations.

As soon as the siren rang at Dak Bunglow crossing in Patna at 6.58 pm, people started shouting slogans against Pakistan.

A statement issued by the Patna district administration said, “The civil defence mock drill was conducted successfully in Patna on Wednesday. People extended their full support to the exercise. All senior officials of the district administration and other concerned authorities in Patna were monitoring the exercise and were also part of it”.

This mock drill was aimed at raising public awareness about civil defence roles during wartime or emergencies.

“Civil defence volunteers from the Disaster Management Department had conducted awareness drives and training sessions for the people of the state in all districts,” said an official.

Fire services, police, and other administrative departments worked in coordination during the drill, he added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs asked all states to conduct the mock drills due to the “new and complex threats” that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

There have been rising tensions in relations between India and Pakistan after the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

In retaliation, Indian armed forces on early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. PTI PKD NN