Indo-Pak War | 'Ban on flying drones, leaves cancelled': Blackouts in Kutch, parts of Gujarat, amid drone sightings in J&K and Punjab

As border tensions rise between India and Pakistan, several areas in Gujarat have come under strict security measures, including power blackouts, drone restrictions, and cancellation of government leave.

Border villages in Gujarat go dark as precaution

On Friday, 9 May, the Gujarat government enforced blackouts across several villages near the Indo-Pak border. The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that villages in Santalpur taluka of Patan district were among the affected areas.

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“As a precautionary measure, a blackout has been imposed in the villages of bordering Santalpur taluka in Patan district. All the citizens are advised to stay away from rumours and follow the instructions issued by the administration from time to time,” the CM’s office posted on X.

In Banaskantha district, all villages in the Suigam and Vav talukas were also blacked out for the second consecutive day, while Bhuj airport remained shut.

“A blackout has been enforced in all the villages of Suigam and Vav talukas in Banaskantha district amid the prevailing border situation,” another post from the Chief Minister’s Office read.

Drone ban in place for 96 hours

To prevent any security lapses, the Gujarat Police issued an order banning the use of drones across the state for four days. Only defence and internal security agencies are exempt from this restriction.

“In view of the recent incidents on the border, all Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police of Gujarat have been asked to get notification issued to ban flying of drones for the next 96 hours except for purposes of defence of the country and internal security,” said a post from the Director General of Police, Gujarat.

All government leave cancelled

The Gujarat government cancelled all types of leave for officers and staff in every department, corporation, municipal body, and panchayat. Officials who are already on leave have been asked to return to work immediately.

“Instructions have also been issued to the heads of the respective departments or offices to ensure that officers and employees currently on leave report back to duty with immediate effect,” the Chief Minister’s Office added.

High-level review meeting led by CM Bhupendra Patel

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel led a video conference on Friday to assess the state's preparedness in border districts. He interacted with collectors and superintendents of police from the affected areas, focusing on evacuation plans, healthcare readiness, civil defence coordination, and communication systems.