India-Pakistan tensions: Schools in Punjab's Amritsar, Pathankot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran remain shut

Pic/PTI

Amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, the officials said that schools in five border districts of Punjab remained closed on Tuesday while a blackout was enforced in Amritsar and Hoshiarpur's Dasuya and Mukerian areas last night as a precautionary measure, reported news agency PTI.

Colleges and universities also remained shut in Pathankot and Amritsar. However, authorities in Amritsar said universities and colleges can take classes online.

They said schools remained closed in Amritsar, Pathankot, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran. However, schools in Gurdaspur, Punjab's sixth border district, as well as those in Sangrur and Barnala reopened on Tuesday, reported PTI.

The Amritsar district administration on Tuesday morning said people can resume their normal activities.

Blackouts were enforced in Amritsar and Hoshiarpur's Dasuya and Mukerian areas as a precautionary measure. Electricity supply in Amritsar was restored at 11:42 pm on Monday, reported PTI.

An Amritsar-bound IndiGo flight returned to Delhi on Monday evening after blackout measures were enforced and the airport in the Punjab district closed.

Drone activity was observed in the Jalandhar area on Monday evening, following which electricity supply was shut in certain areas. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal on Monday evening said armed forces neutralised a suspected "surveillance drone" near Mand village in Jalandhar, reported PTI.

In a message at 10:45 pm, the officer advised people to inform police if they notice any debris of flying objects and not to venture too close.

Punjab shares a 553-kilometre border with Pakistan.

A semblance of normalcy was observed in the border areas of Punjab on Monday with markets teeming with people even though schools in some districts remained shut as a precautionary measure following the suspension of hostilities between India and Pakistan, reported PTI.

New Delhi and Islamabad reached an understanding on Saturday afternoon to halt military actions with immediate effect after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes amid India-Pakistan tensions.

In Operation Sindoor, India conducted precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Operation Sindoor has carved out a benchmark in India's fight against terrorism and has "set up a new parameter and new normal".

Addressing the nation, PM Modi also referred to India conducting a surgical strike in 2016 at terror launch pads along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and to the air strikes at a terror camp in Pakistan in 2019 and said that after the two operations, Operation Sindoor is India's policy against terrorism.

(With inputs from PTI)