Coordinated training and extensive preparedness proved crucial in avoiding panic and preventing casualties when Pakistan retaliated against the Uri hydroelectric power plant hours after India launched Operation Sindoor. Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Gurjeet Singh, one of the officers involved, recounted how the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) teams responded under heavy cross-border fire, successfully bringing 250 civilians to safety.
Immediate Retaliation and CISF Preparedness
Within an hour of India striking terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of Operation Sindoor, CISF personnel at the Uri hydroelectric plant—a sensitive installation located just 8-10 km from the Line of Control—were instructed to switch off lights, move to high alert, and execute pre-practiced drills.
- Shelling Begins: ASI Singh, who was among the officers who shot down enemy drones, stated that as personnel began switching off lights following the message from headquarters, Pakistan immediately began shelling from across the border.
- Target: The Uri hydropower plant, which includes residential quarters for NTPC and CISF staff, was among the first targets of Pakistan’s retaliation.
Evacuation Drills Prevent Disaster
Singh credited extensive preparation in the preceding days for preventing casualties despite the heavy shelling. He recounted the successful execution of the evacuation plan:
“During the day (afternoon of May 6), drills had been conducted on mass evacuation of families to bunkers incase of any attack from the enemy. By around 2.30 am (May 7) when shelling started from Pakistan, our personnel on ground had already started moving families to the safe bunkers.”
He noted that the only difficulty was waking up families who were asleep. The preparation was so effective that the routes decided during mock drills ensured not a “single person sustained even a small injury during the evacuation process.” Only a few abandoned quarters were damaged by the shelling.
This successful evacuation drill was a direct result of heightened alert levels across India following the Pahalgam attack, prompting then CISF Director General R.S. Bhatti to review security at the installation.
Neutralizing Drone Attacks
From the third night of the conflict onward, Pakistan shifted its strategy, sending drones toward civilian houses and the Uri 1 and 2 hydroelectric projects.
- Drone Defense: ASI Singh detailed how their teams responded: “Some of our personnel jammed and shot down enemy drones that had come towards the main gate of Uri 2 project. The bigger drones that were spotted high in the sky were neutralized by our sister agencies.”
- Damage Averted: Crucially, he confirmed, “None of their drones inflicted damage at the plant or any vital asset.”
A CISF statement on Tuesday lauded the teams at the Uri Hydro Electric Projects, stating they displayed extraordinary courage by neutralizing hostile drones, reinforcing bunkers, maintaining communication lines, and successfully evacuating 250 civilians despite the high risk during the May 2025 cross-border shelling.
Commendation for Courage
For their valor and commitment, ASI Gurjeet Singh and 18 other personnel were awarded the DG’s Commendation Disc at the CISF Headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. The award serves as a tribute to their courage and unwavering commitment to the nation.