Scheduled mock drill creates panic among Poonch residents

With a civil defence mock drill scheduled across border states on Thursday, panic has gripped the residents of Poonch, many of whom have fled the town fearing a repeat of the deadly shelling that occurred on May 7—the same day a similar drill had been planned.

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Locals say they have lost trust in mock drills and are unwilling to take chances with their lives this time.

Following the intense Pakistani shelling on May 7, many residents had fled to Jammu and other safer areas. Now, with another mock drill scheduled, several families from different parts of Poonch have once again chosen to evacuate.

Mohammad Tariq, a resident of Sukha Khatta in Poonch town, confirmed that some people have already left the area. “Poonch is surrounded by hills that are under Pakistan’s occupation. That’s why the shelling between May 7 and 10 struck directly at residential areas, killing more than 15 civilians, including children,” Tariq said.

Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Syndicate Chowk, recalled the trauma of earlier this month. “Two members of the Sikh community from our locality were killed during the Pakistani shelling. We are scared something similar might happen again. There was a mock drill last time too, and then people died. That’s why many locals are leaving again,” he said.

The drill is being organised under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. It aims to simulate critical wartime scenarios such as air raids, drone attacks, and other emergency situations, an official said.

The objective of the exercise is to test the effectiveness of existing emergency response systems, enhance coordination among civil administration, defence forces, and local communities, and identify areas for improvement.

It will involve simulated aerial threats, activation of air raid sirens, response to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and testing of emergency communication hotlines connected with the Indian Air Force.