Gurdaspur, Punjab 8 may,2025
The Gurdaspur district administration, a border district in Punjab, imposed an all-night blackout from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM on May 8, 2025. The move comes as tensions between India and Pakistan build, especially after recent cross-border raids and thwarted drone infiltrations.
The blackout is among the security measures being implemented to protect civilians from possible aerial bombing. Hospitals and prisons are allowed to have lights on during the blackout, but even they must cover windows so that no light can be seen from the outside.
Authorities said this move is being made as a precaution after India had "carried out Operation Sindoor," with the target of terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The border is still tense and the government wants to reduce the risk of any enemy attack on populated areas.
Similar security arrangements have also been done in other districts within close proximity. All schools within Tarn Taran have been closed from May 8 until May 11, and in Tarn Taran and Amritsar fireworks are banned completely.
Citizens near the border have been asked to follow instructions strictly, stay indoors during times of blackout, and use minimum lighting. The police and the local administration are going from town to town and village to village regularly to make sure that people are following the orders.
The authorities have asked the public not to panic and to have confidence that such steps are only for their safety. They have also urged people to remain updated through official government announcements and not indulge in rumors.