Precautionary blackouts enforced in Amritsar, Hoshiarpur while Rajasthan return to normalcy

Chandigarh: Precautionary blackout measures were enforced in Punjab's Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts on Monday. Electricity has also been switched off in some areas of Jalandhar, officials said.

"As a precautionary measure, lights have been switched off in some areas around Suranassi as there have been reports of drone sightings. We are verifying them. There is no (total) blackout as of now. There is nothing to worry, as confirmed by armed forces officers. They are on regular vigil as always," Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said in a message at 9:15 pm.

Meanwhile, there was no blackout in the border areas of Rajasthan after several nights. The blackout call has been withdrawn in Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Barmer, and other border areas, an official said.

All restrictions on movement, clamped in view of the armed conflict between India and Pakistan, were lifted. Educational institutions will reopen on Tuesday.

However, in Punjab, which shares a 553-kilometre border with Pakistan, blackout measures were enforced in Dasuya and Mukerian in Hoshiapur district. 

An air-raid siren was sounded in Amritsar, which lies along the border.

Punjab shares a 553-kilometre border with Pakistan. "We are alert. We are enforcing a blackout," Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said in a message and urged people to stay away from windows.

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.

New Delhi and Islamabad reached an understanding on May 10 to halt military actions after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.