Operation Sindoor: Leaves cancelled, schools shut amid high alert in Punjab, Rajasthan
The Punjab police have cancelled the leaves of all its personnel and shut schools in six border districts.
A day after India's strikes against terrorist installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the authorities have put Rajasthan and Punjab on high alert and cancelled the leaves of police personnel and administration officials. Schools in the border districts have also been ordered to remain shut.
Officials told PTI that Punjab and Rajasthan are prepping for a possible escalation of hostilities between the two estranged nations. Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan. In Rajasthan, the border stretches about 1,070 km.
The Punjab police have cancelled the leaves of all its personnel and shut schools in six border districts. The Rajasthan government too has cancelled leaves of all administrative officials and police personnel deployed in the border areas.
Twenty-six people died in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22. India on Wednesday morning targeted nine terrorist sites with precision strikes. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting that over 100 terrorists had been killed in the strikes.
In view of "administrative reasons", leaves of all officers/employees of Punjab Police have been cancelled from May 7, an order issued by the DGP's office said.
"Leaves should be granted only in special circumstances with the approval of the competent authority," it added.
All schools in six border districts of Punjab – Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran – have been shut until further orders.
"Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan. Therefore, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial during any military tension. All districts near the border have been placed on high alert. The government has also cancelled all public events in view of the prevailing situation," Punjab minister Aman Arora told PTI.
"Punjab Police is also fully prepared as the second line of defence. It will join the army in every battle to deliver a crushing response to any Pakistani attack," he added.
In Rajasthan, all government and private schools have been shut in four border districts – Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer – as a precautionary measure.
Kiren Rijiju on all-party meeting
After the all-party meeting, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters that it was convened to evolve a broad political consensus on the issue, and leaders showed maturity and did not indulge in bickering.
"The entire nation is united with the government and the armed forces," Rijiju added.
He said Singh told the parties that Operation Sindoor was still underway.
"The Raksha Mantri told the meeting that it was an ongoing operation and that is why he cannot share the technical details of Operation Sindoor that was launched by Indian armed forces," he said.
