Airports closed, schools shut in border areas of Rajasthan and Punjab following Operation Sindoor; UP on high alert

NEW DELHI: In light of escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border following Indian armed forces’ strikes on terror camps in mainland Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, authorities in Punjab and Rajasthan have ordered the closure of schools in multiple border districts as a precautionary measure.PunjabFlight operations at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport were suspended until 10 am.In Punjab, schools were shut across five border districts — Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur on Wednesday.Officials confirmed that the Ferozepur deputy commissioner had issued an order to keep all schools in the district closed for the day. Similarly, in Pathankot, schools will remain shut for the next 72 hours. Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Fazilka districts also followed suit by closing all educational institutionsRajasthanA high alert has been issued across all border regions of Rajasthan. Additionally, authorities have ordered the closure of airports in Bikaner and Jodhpur as a precautionary measure.Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, an official told PTI that all government and private schools in the border districts of Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer have been closed as a safety measure. “Schools have been closed and all the preparations for the mock drills have been completed,” the official said.Uttar PradeshA red alert has been issued across Uttar Pradesh following Operation Sindoor. The DGP Office posted that all field formations of the UP Police have been directed to coordinate closely with Defence units and bolster the security of vital installations. “UP Police remains alert, equipped and fully prepared to ensure the safety of every citizen. Jai Hind!” the post said.Operation SindoorThe move came hours after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Jaish-e-Mohammad’s base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s hub in Muridke, in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre that killed 26 civilians.