Following fresh escalation of hostilities along the line of Control (loC) in the last ten days, the majority of villagers living in the direct line of fire of Pakistani guns have started constructing their own bunkers to keep their families safe.
India on Thursday issued a demarche to Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner condemning the frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army, the targeting of Indian villages along the loC by it and also the recent incident of mutilation of an Indian soldier’s body.
In the fourth demarche this month, the Ministry of External Affairs also expressed concern about the safety of Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan, who inadvertently crossed the loC seven weeks ago, saying India expects his early repatriation and safe return.
India also rejected Pakistani allegations that New Delhi has denied it overflight permission for military aircraft saying, “Pakistan does not provide necessary information concerning the nature of cargo and passengers it is carrying in the military aircraft despite several reminders.”
Meanwhile, with the long winter season knocking at their doors and the Naushera sector witnessing intense shelling from across the loC daily since November 15, the villagers are constructing the bunkers on a war footing.
“In the absence of any Government support we have started digging bunkers in whatever spare space is available inside our own houses to protect ourselves from the Pakistani shells,” Sunita and her husband Som Raj, residents of Sariya village near Jhangar in Naushera sector told The Pioneer.
“With two small children, we cannot afford to leave our house in the harsh winter for long,” said Som Raj. He added that in the first round of intense shelling the villagers relocated to safer places but later realised that it was going to continue like this so it was better to return home and construct our own bunkers.
Mangat Ram, a teacher in a Government school and his wife decided to construct a bunker in their courtyard after the State Government failed to accommodate the large rush of displaced people.
He said the State Government had closed down educational institutions located close to the loC and had advised people to stay alert and under concrete roofs during shelling.
According to official sources, more than 40,000 people living in the frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch were affected by the continuous cross-border shelling.
Sumit Kumar, who had earlier postponed his marriage after the Indian Army conducted the surgical strikes on September 29, tied the knot on Wednesday while mortars were raining in the forward areas.
Even though relatives and family members of Sumit and his bride Renu were scared by the intense shelling, the couple got married in a simple and short ceremony during the day.
However, after India carried out punitive strikes on Pakistan Army posts on Wednesday the loC remained peaceful on Thursday with no fresh report of exchange of fire.