Jodhpur shuts schools, Anganwadis following 'Operation Sindoor'

Jodhpur (Rajasthan) [India], May 8 (ANI): In the wake of Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces, Jodhpur district administration on Thursday announced the closure of all private and government schools as well as Anganwadis across the city until further orders.
District Collector Gaurav Agarwal issued the directive, stating, "In view of the current situation, a holiday is being declared in all private and government schools and Anganwadis from today till further orders."
While the administration has not elaborated on the specific reasons behind the move, local authorities have appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with officials.
Earlier, as part of a nationwide civil defence drill, the Amritsar district administration had resumed blackout measures to ensure public safety and preparedness, the District Public Relations Officer (DPRO) said on Wednesday.
"Taking utmost caution, the Amritsar district administration has again started the blackout process. Please stay at home, do not panic and do not gather outside your houses; keep the outside lights switched off," the Amritsar DPRO said in a statement.
The blackout in Amritsar was part of a nationwide civil defence mock drill ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to check emergency preparedness in case of future threats. The exercise involved scheduled blackouts at key locations across the country.
Speaking about the prior blackout in Amritsar, ASI Jagtar Singh told ANI, "The blackout was between 10.30 pm and 11 pm, half an hour. The directions are that there should not be any lights on so that the enemy may not know there is a city here. The rehearsal is being done for the interest of the country... Some people are following the blackout, and some are not... The siren was activated and then there was a complete blackout within two minutes."
Several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar, also observed similar blackouts. Cities such as Barmer, Gwalior, Surat, Shimla, and Patna participated by switching off lights at key buildings and public spaces.
In the national capital, Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Vijay Chowk also went dark for the drill. Raj Bhavan in Patna participated too. (ANI)