A sudden blackout in Amritsar on Wednesday night was part of a nationwide civil defense mock drill conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Indian authorities confirmed.
The drill, held amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions following a recent terror incident, included coordinated sirens at 4:00 p.m. and a scheduled power shutdown between 10:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Residents were asked to stay indoors and turn off all lights to simulate wartime conditions.
Amritsar’s Deputy Commissioner stated that the exercise aimed to test emergency preparedness and public response. Similar activities were held across Punjab and other regions, under the supervision of the National Disaster Management Authority.
The Golden Temple, or Sri Harmandir Sahib, also went dark during the half-hour window. Video footage shared online matched the drill’s timing, and no real emergency or power failure was reported.
While some residents reported hearing loud sounds during the night, no verified bomb blasts occurred. Officials said the sounds could be related to the civil defense simulation or unrelated military activity.
