It has been more than two weeks now that the border residents — living in the line of fire along the International Border in RS Pura area — have been spending sleepless nights due to regular breach of ceasefire agreement from the Pakistani side and continuous shelling on the civilian areas.
late Thursday night Pakistan Rangers once again targeted two Border posts of BSF in the RS Pura sector and lobbed mortar shells in the civilian areas to spread panic among the natives. The firing which started around 1.00 am continued till 5.30 am along the International border in RS Pura sector, official sources said.
Some of the forward villages were targeted by the Pakistan Rangers and several houses bore the brunt of the Pakistan firing. One villager received bullet injury on his leg while rooftops of some of the houses was damaged due to mortar shelling. In response the BSF troops effectively retaliated the fire to silence the Pakistan guns but the exchange continued till 5.30 am.
Following heavy exchange of firing during the night the villagers are left with no other option but to shift to abandoned bunkers in the area to ensure their safety.
“Our houses are regularly targeted by the Pakistan Rangers, our live stock is badly hit. we cannot afford to stay back and endanger our lives. After dinner we generally shift to nearby bunker to spend night”, Karam Chand of Trewa village said. Majority of women and children are also shifted to nearby bunkers in vulnerable areas along with men during the night. Due to paucity of space inside the bunkers the villagers take turn and take rest while others stand on guard duty outside the bunkers.