Schools shut in many states, govt employee leaves cancelled in Punjab, Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Delhi

As tensions surge along the India-Pakistan border following a retaliatory strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, several Indian states have activated emergency protocols.

The stringent measures were taken by Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar after India struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam massacre that killed 26 people.

Punjab, sharing a 532-km border with Pakistan, is on high alert. The state has shut schools in six border districts — Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran — until further orders. All police leave has been cancelled. “Leaves should be granted only in special circumstances with the approval of the competent authority,” the DGP’s office stated.

Blackouts were enforced in key districts including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali, and Gurdaspur, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh. “Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan. Therefore, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial during any military tension,” said Punjab minister Aman Arora.

Neighbouring Haryana has similarly cancelled leave for police and health department personnel. Civil surgeons across districts were instructed to ensure all officials stay at their postings and avoid leaving district headquarters.

In Delhi, all government employee leave has been suspended as a precautionary measure. District magistrates are conducting reviews with their teams to assess health and disaster readiness.

Himachal Pradesh, sharing borders with Punjab, has intensified security in Hamirpur, Una, and Bilaspur—home to popular pilgrimage sites. Police presence and checks have been ramped up, officials confirmed.

Rajasthan, which shares over 1,000 km of border with Pakistan, has shut schools in five border districts: Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Barmer. Blackouts are being enforced from 9 pm to 4 am in Barmer and Jaisalmer, and from 12:30 am to 4 am in Jodhpur. Crackers and drone flights have been banned in Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar. Ganganagar police sounded a red alert and urged residents to switch off lights. Colleges in Jodhpur were ordered closed, and flight operations at Bikaner, Kishangarh (Ajmer), and Jodhpur airports have been suspended till May 10.

Gujarat, which shares both land and sea borders with Pakistan, has put coastal security on alert. Leave of police personnel has been cancelled with immediate effect. “Police along the coast have been put on alert mode,” said Ashok Kumar Yadav, Inspector General of Rajkot Range. In Jamnagar, Morbi, and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, police are actively engaging with coastal villages and boat landing points to monitor any suspicious activity.

West Bengal, while sharing a border with Bangladesh, has also revoked all government employee leave. A finance department notification cited the “current situation” and stated even those previously granted leave must return to duty, except for medical exemptions.

In Bihar, the government has cancelled leave for police, administrative, and disaster management officials. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar issued the directive during a high-level security meeting focused on the state’s border districts.