Dehradun — A mock air strike drill was conducted by the Civil Defence in Dehradun on Wednesday to evaluate the city’s preparedness for emergency response during wartime scenarios. The exercise aimed to ensure coordination among relief and rescue agencies under the Incident Response System (IRS).
At 4:10 PM, the District Disaster Operations Centre received a simulated alert about an air strike. District Magistrate Savin Bansal, acting as the Responsible Officer of the IRS, activated emergency protocols and issued a citywide red alert through air raid sirens. A blackout was imposed across the city to simulate wartime conditions.
As part of the drill, a mock missile attack was reported at ISBT and MDDA Colony. The scenario included building collapse and casualties. Emergency response teams were dispatched immediately. Rescue teams reached MDDA Colony by 4:36 PM, where five people were reported dead and 23 injured in the simulation. The injured were transported to Coronation Hospital. Search and rescue operations concluded by 6:08 PM, with 36 civilians—including 10 men, 14 women, and 12 children—relocated to a shelter home.
Another simulated incident was staged at ISBT at 4:44 PM, involving a bomb blast and ensuing stampede. Emergency teams reached the scene at 4:54 PM. The scenario involved two fatalities, five critically injured, and one minor injury. The rescue concluded by 6:05 PM.
District Magistrate Savin Bansal and SSP Ajay Singh monitored both operations from the control room, directing relief efforts and assessing simulated damage. Nodal officers and emergency personnel across departments participated in the comprehensive drill.
The exercise coincided with Operation Sindoor, a real-world retaliatory strike conducted earlier in the day by the Indian Armed Forces in response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali national. Under the operation, Indian forces carried out precision missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting locations such as Muridke and Bahawalpur. According to the government’s official statement, no Pakistani military installations were struck, highlighting India’s restrained and targeted approach.
Authorities stated that such mock drills are essential to prepare for emergencies and ensure swift, coordinated responses to any threat.
