Visakhapatnam: The daily greeting messages are now being replaced with alerts on how to stay safe, stock essential supplies that last for a while, store groceries that have relatively a long shelf life in large quantities, avoid frequenting crowded places, put off travel plans, and so on and so forth.

Post India’s precision strikes on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, social media platforms are agog with a plenty of alert forwards. In a majority of WhatsApp groups, the point of discussion centred on enquir-ing about the safety condition, precautions to be considered and, more importantly, sharing best practices.

Even as mock drills are carried out in states and Union Territories in the wake of complex threats emerging amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahal-gam terror attack, several forwards flooded social media platforms prompting people to stay safe and secure. “The first message I received this morning was from my school friend enquiring about my safety. She also requested to take all precautions when I step out for work,” shares P. Soumya, who works in a bank based in Chennai.

As many share forwards focusing on various means to be prepared and staying vigilant, a major chunk of them also include stocking up of essential supplies, especially those that have a longer shelf life. “I have literally bought emergency lights, batteries, candles, match-boxes, assorted dry fruits, milk powder and other groceries which I generally prefer buying in small quantities. After Covid-19 pandemic, I am stocking up groceries in large portions again now,” says G. Madhavi Latha, who is on a work from home arrangement.

People from various sections of society join hands in unison to extend support to the Indian Armed Forces after the successful launch of the Operation Sindoor. Hashtags ‘Jai Hind’, ‘jus-tice served’, ‘victory to India’, among others, continue to trend on social media.

A host of forwards highlighted the need to remain calm and ensure safety preparedness along with a list of essential supplies to be kept ready to meet any emergency situation. Suf-ficient cash, fully-fueled vehicles, medicines required for a few months, stock of non-perishable food supplies, cans of drinking water, backup power sources and emergency bags with sets of clothes and blankets topped the list of items to be kept ready at home.

In support of Operation Sindoor, netizens uploaded related images on social media plat-forms and as their status.

“Aptly christened, ‘Operation Sindoor’ is a befitting response to the terror attack that killed 26 innocent tourists in Pahalgam. The operation consoled the women who lost their ‘sindoor’ in the horrific attack,” shares Uppalapati Ramabhadra Raju, a sportsperson. As a mark of respect to the Indian army, he uploaded an image that por-trayed himself as a ‘proud soldier’ on social media.