Jammu, June 1 -- Acting upon a Centre's directive, Jammu region comprising 10 districts observed a blackout for 15 minutes (8 pm to 8.15 pm) on Saturday. Earlier in the day, the civil defence and home guard department, in tandem with SDRF and volunteers from NSS, NYK, NSC, Bharat Scouts and Guides, conducted mock drills in various places, including several places in Kashmir. Akhnoor subdivisional magistrate Mukhtar Ahmed said, "The mockdrills were conducted to check our preparedness to meet any contingency. We created a scene of enemy shell hitting a residential area that caused death and injuries." The SDM recalled that Akhnoor was subjected to shelling by Pakistan from May 7 to 10. During the 15-minute blackout from 8 pm to 8.15 pm, as soon as air raid sirens rang out, the power development department snapped the electricity supplies to the region. People also switched off lights of their houses. However, several markets were open and people were returning homes from their workplaces at the time of drills. Similar reports of mockdrills and blackouts poured in from Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri and Kishtwar districts. Earlier, on May 7, similar drills were held in 244 districts of border states and union territories. The purpose of the drills is to activate air raid warning sirens, train civilians and students in civil defence measures, test blackout procedures, ensure early camouflaging of critical infrastructure and update and rehearse evacuation plans, officials said....