Decades of tension along the line of Control have taken a toll on the mental health of those who live in the region, writes Varun Suthra
Neither had they brought upon the wars nor had they created borders. But they have been the ones paying the price for incessant conflict between India and Pakistan. Their only fault is that they belong to the borderland.
living 29km from the winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir, the residents of sub-division Akhnoor are the victims of any movement that takes place along the line of Control, which is a stone's throw away from their homes. Owing to cross-border firing that used to take place in the past, villagers are still suffering. Worst affected is their mental health — there has been an unwanted increase in cases of stress, anxiety and depression. Police records from the past decade reveal that suicide has been a major cause of death. Between 2000 and 2012, nearly 125 suicidal deaths were reported.
Mr Rayees Mohammad Bhat, IPS, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Akhnoor, said, “In a survey conducted for past two decades for Akhnoor and Khour we have found that the number of suicidal deaths has increased significantly. The most common mode of committing suicide here is consuming poisonous material like fertilizers or pesticides, which are readily available at households as most of the community depends on farming.” He added, “Most cases go unregistered and a delay in investigation is caused as due to social stigma people do not register the report in time.”
Akhnoor sub-division consists of 227 seven villages, of which about 35 villages are located either on the international border or on the line of Control with Pakistan. According to Mr Nagendra Singh Jamwal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Akhnoor, the two major causes for mounting stress among residents are border firing and its consequences. loss in agriculture production is a major reason for distress as agriculture is the main source of livelihood. About 24,000 kanals of land has been lost in firing incidents. He said many ended their lives as they could not cope with the financial crisis over the years.
Border skirmishes have also left people internally displaced. This affects the existing services in the area as the migrating inhabitants of the borderlands add to population pressures. “You can assess the situation here that if the services were meant for a fixed population and suddenly the number doubles, it becomes quite difficult to manage the delivery,” Mr Jamwal added.
Over 300 families were displaced during the Kargil War in 1999. These families are presently located at a migrant camp in Gurha Jageer about nine kilometres from Akhnoor and 38km from Jammu. Sixty one hundred plots, measuring 25x50 have been allotted to the migrant families.
“We have been an agrarian society and the only legacy we got from our ancestors was agriculture. But unfortunately we could not pass this on to next generation. Our children are now forced to struggle for insignificant jobs and our voice goes unheard. You cannot spot even a single person, who is here without any mental trauma,” said Tara Chand, an elected member of Chapriyal’s panchayat, who is runs a small general store at Gurha Jageer camp.
In Pragwal village, another family has been plunged into deadening silence after losing its only daughter died in cross-border shelling. “My daughter, Shashi Devi, was quite young and vibrant. It was in 2002, when she was warning people to stay away from our house as cross-border shelling was transpiring, and in course of saving others, the brave girl herself became victim. We have five kids and she was the only daughter,” said the father of the courageous young woman.