West Bengal steps up preparedness with civil defence drills

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 8 (ANI): A comprehensive civil defence mock was conducted at Desun Hospital in Kolkata on Thursday evening.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared her firm support for India's fight against terrorism, affirming that the state stands in solidarity with the national effort to confront threats in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Today, the Minister held a meeting with 7-8 Chief Ministers from border areas. We also convened discussions with key officials from the central and State departments. We will stand shoulder to shoulder in this battle alongside those fighting against terrorism and the Pahalgam terror attack. At this moment, there should be no disagreements among us; we are all united in our commitment to work for the country with this shared mindset.
On Wednesday, a civil defence mock drill was conducted at a Siliguri, West Bengal school, where security personnel briefed students and teachers on crisis preparedness.

Meanwhile, a mock drill was held at key locations in Maharashtra's Mumbai, including the Maidan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had instructed all states and union territories to evaluate preparedness against "new and complex threats."
The drills are being carried out across major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur, to evaluate local response capabilities to security challenges.
Following the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in India on April 22, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national. (ANI)