Blackouts, curfews, no leave, no lapse: Full-scale emergency mode at borders

Nightly blackouts, curfews, and mass leave cancellations for medical and security personnel were imposed Thursday as Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat fortified their Pakistan frontier.Rajasthan imposed power blackouts for the second consecutive night in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, and Jodhpur, adjusting the timing from the previous midnight to 4am schedule to a new window of 9pm to 4am.Residents have been ordered indoors, instructed to shut off lights, and warned against outdoor movement. Sirens will signal blackout start and end. Violations could lead to legal action, officials said. All schools, coaching centres, madrassas, and anganwadi centres in affected districts, including Jodhpur, are closed. Exams in Jai Narayan Vyas University have been postponed indefinitely.Rajasthan police suspended all leave. "All personnel, from IGs to constables, must remain on duty unless urgent leave is sanctioned," said ADG Vishal Bansal. IG Omprakash said drone activity is banned in border areas and intensified patrolling is underway. In Barmer, district collector Tina Dabi stressed the necessity of restrictions given current tensions.Also read: India targets Lahore, Pindi, and Karachi after foiling multiple Pakistani attacksHospitals across Phalodi district and nearby areas are on standby. "We have reserved 450 beds across all district hospitals, ensured blood supply, ICU readiness, power backup, and suspended all medical staff leave," said collector Harji Lal Atal. Twenty-six private hospitals have contributed 400 additional beds, and 25 emergency shelters have been readied.In Punjab, blackout orders are in effect in Gurdaspur from 9pm to 5am. Power was snapped in Ferozepur at 2.30am Thursday, sirens wailed at 4am, and supply resumed at 6.30am.Shelling and explosions in Amritsar Wednesday night have suspended all joint ceremonies with Pakistan at Wagah, Hussainiwala, and Sadiqi indefinitely. "No public will be permitted, keeping in view safety," said a BSF spokesperson. This includes Beating Retreat ceremony, performed daily by BSF and Pakistan Rangers at Attari-Wagah border-crossing.Residents in border villages are preparing shelters, moving valuables inland, and securing livestock. "People are building safe zones inside homes, drawing from past war experiences," said a local official.Panic buying surged in Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur. Jalandhar DC Himanshu Aggarwal urged calm and warned against hoarding. "Strict legal action will be taken against those found guilty," he said, directing stores to curb bulk sales.Punjab and Haryana governments cancelled all leave for police, healthcare, and fire department personnel to ensure uninterrupted emergency services. Health departments in both states have been instructed to maintain full staff presence and stock essential medicines, while civil surgeons and CMOs were told to stay on alert for any health crisis.Rajasthan also cancelled leave for doctors, paramedics, and support staff. Principal secretary Gayatri Rathore said district hospitals must remain on full alert. "Asha, ANM, and CHO workers are to list vulnerable people in border villages for monitoring," she said. District CMHOs must maintain supply of blood, oxygen, medicines, and ensure ICU functionality.Gujarat placed Banaskantha, Patan, and Kutch districts under heightened alert. A drone-like object was found Thursday near Khavda in Kutch, prompting investigation by armed forces. "Special evacuation plans for vulnerable villages are in place," an official said. (Inputs from Nitesh Kumar, Ajay Parmar, Vimal Bhatia & Intishab Ali in Rajasthan; Neel Kamal & Yudhvir Rana in Punjab; Kapil Dave in Gujarat)