Months after the Operation Sindoor, the CISF has detailed how it foiled an attempt by Pakistan to strike the Uri hydroelectric plant near the Line of Control (LoC).
The statement by the CISF said the bid happened on the night of May 6 after India conducted strategic strikes on terrorists' hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “In retaliation, the Pakistan Army launched intense and indiscriminate shelling on Indian territory, endangering vital infrastructure, including the Uri hydro-power projects, and threatening nearby civilian populations,” the statement said, adding that the CISF units, safeguarding the project, sprang into action immediately.
The team, led by Commandant Ravi Yadav, immediately took steps to shield the installations and the surrounding township by neutralising hostile drones. They also took action to secure armoury stockpiles by swiftly redistributing weapons to prevent potential destruction. The CISF also went across houses, evacuating civilians —including women, children, NHPC staff and their families amidst ongoing shelling.
Meanwhile, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Gurjeet Singh recounted the team’s response, thanking the training, coordination, and the days of preparation. Singh said that an hour into India striking terror bases as part of Operation Sindhoor, they received instructions to switch off lights and stay on alert.
“As soon as India launched Operation Sindoor and bombed the terror bases there, we received a message from the headquarters asking us to switch off lights and be on high alert,” Singh was quoted by the Hindustan Times.
He added that the CISF had already begun drills on mass evacuation of families to bunkers in case of a Pakistani attack. The force undertook an evacuation immediately after the attack began. “The only difficulty was waking up families who were fast asleep and did not know what was happening,” Singh added.
He said the forces continued to give an appropriate response to the Pakistani forces as the evacuation continued. The routes to take to go towards the bunkers, as decided in the mock drills, were such that not a single person sustained even a small injury during the evacuation process,” Singh told Hindustan Times.
He then described the attack on the power project, stating how Pakistan began sending drones toward civilian houses and the Uri 1 and 2 hydroelectric projects.
“Some of our personnel jammed and shot down enemy drones that had come towards the main gate of the Uri 2 project. The bigger drones that were spotted high in the sky were neutralised by our sister agencies. None of their drones inflicted damage at the plant or any vital asset,” he said.
In honour of the CISF services, its Director General’s disc was awarded to 19 personnel on duty at the Uri Hydro Electric Power Projects (UHEP- I and II) that night.