Hundreds of residents along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) were evacuated to safer areas on Wednesday as authorities implemented contingency plans to protect civilians from Pakistani shelling. This evacuation followed a day of intense cross-border firing that resulted in the deaths of 12 people, including four children and two women, and injured over 50 others. The Pakistani army reportedly shelled forward villages in Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region, as well as Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir, using artillery and mortars.
The escalation in shelling occurred shortly after Indian armed forces conducted missile strikes on nine alleged terror targets within Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. These strikes were reportedly in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, south Kashmir, which tragically killed 26 civilians, primarily tourists.
Liaqat Ali, a resident of Jorian village near the IB, stated that despite no direct firing in his village, residents were instructed to relocate to the ITI College in R S Pura. He noted that the government had made necessary arrangements for their accommodation due to the prevailing tense situation. Ali recalled past instances where Pakistani shelling had severely impacted his village, even burning it down. He emphasized their compliance with government directives for their safety and expressed concern about a potential full-scale war between India and Pakistan following the recent terror attacks. Jorian village has a population exceeding 1,000, with most residents relying on the sale of milk and milk products for their livelihood.
Similarly, residents of Gagrian and adjacent villages, including Pragwal near the LoC in the Akhnoor sector, reported being informed by authorities to move to safer locations. Munshi Ram, a local resident, affirmed their historical support for security forces in safeguarding the borders. He mentioned that a policeman advised villagers to seek shelter in government accommodations or relatives’ homes temporarily. While acknowledging the crucial role of local residents in providing intelligence to security agencies, Ram expressed concern over the current “war-like situation” and deemed temporary relocation a prudent safety measure until normalcy returns.
Officials indicated that the district administration had mobilized resources to ensure the comfort of the evacuated population, with particular attention to the needs of women at the temporary shelters.
The situation in the directly affected areas like Poonch presented a different scenario, with residents proactively moving to safer zones. Mohd Arshid, a resident of the heavily impacted Mankote, described a sleepless night and his decision to move his family of six to a relative’s house once the shelling subsided. The heavy shelling in Mankote earlier on Wednesday resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to several others, including her young daughter.
Ravinder Singh, a local resident, acknowledged the desire for peace but asserted that the Pahalgam terror attack left the government and forces with no alternative but to conduct strikes across the border to dismantle terror camps.
In Jammu, groups of people organized rallies, chanting slogans in support of the nation and the armed forces for their precision strikes. Pawan Gupta, a shopkeeper, stated that “the Pahalgam terror victims have been given justice today” and commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. While expressing sorrow for the civilian casualties in Poonch due to Pakistani shelling, he urged the government to implement necessary precautions for the safety of the border population.
Political figures also reacted to the situation. Tariq Hameed Karra, President of the Pradesh Congress Committee, condemned Pakistan’s targeting of civilian areas in Poonch, Mendhar, and Uri sectors as a violation of international conventions. He called upon the government to ensure secure evacuation and comprehensive rehabilitation for the affected families and urged party workers to provide frontline support to these communities. Former Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina echoed the condemnation of Pakistan’s actions against innocent civilians near the border, assuring that the central government would ensure proper rehabilitation for those affected by the cross-border shelling.
