An uneasy calm prevailed in the Indian village along the International Border in Samba district in Jammu and Kashmir with residents reluctant to return fearing cross-border firing from Pakistan.
The residents say that every time there is firing from across the border they become the real targets.
Since incidents of ceasefire violations from across the border have gone up, villagers in almost all areas along the international border in Samba, Kathua and Jammu district have been forced to leave their houses and cattle behind to take shelter in safer locations.
“We don’t sleep in the night as we fear that a shell fired by the Pakistani side might anytime land on our house and kill us. Our children suffer the most. Their education is hampered. They also become victims of psychological trauma,” Maninder Singh, a resident of Londi village, said on Sunday.
Shankar, a resident of Galard, said, “People living in safe cities don’t know what we are going through. We literally die every day.”
Shankar, who along with a handful of villagers returned on Sunday morning to the village to give fodder to their cattle, said they were forced to move to safer locations.
“Even though we want that Pakistan must be taught a tough lesson for targeting innocent villagers, we also pray that peace must return so that villagers on both sides can lead a peaceful life,” said Vikram Mehra, a resident of Bobiya village of Kathua district.
Deputy Commissioner of Kathua, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that the villagers are scared to go back to their homes until a flag meeting is held and both sides agree to implement a ceasefire.
“We are in no hurry to send them back to their villages until the situation on the border becomes normal again. The residents say they will return only after a flag meeting between the two sides takes place,” he said.
He added following the heavy firing from across the border, 11 villages situated along the IB were evacuated.
“A total of 1,841 people from 491 families living in 11 villages have taken shelter in 10 relief camps set up by the district administration. Besides providing them with essential commodities, round-the-clock security has been provided to these camps,” he said.
A total of 562 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan occurred in 2014, the highest since the truce came into force in 2003, along with the Indo-Pak border witnessing the worst such escalation during August to October which left 13 people, including two security personnel dead.
A total of 19 people, including 5 jawans, were killed and over 150 injured in such incidents last year.
Another villager, Balvinder Kumar said, “When everyone was busy welcoming the New Year, the border residents were struggling to save their lives.” “Many villagers are scared to return to feed their cattle. The cattle will eventually die of starvation. We cannot risk our lives to go close to the border to feed them,” he added.
The border villages that are otherwise abuzz with activities on Sunday wore a deserted look with a majority of villagers abandoning their houses to take shelter in camps.
