Pahalgam terror attack: Fear grips villages along LoC as Pak violates ceasefire, target 8 Indian sectors

Fear has gripped villages near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir as the Pakistani Army continued unprovoked firing for the eleventh night in a row.

 

In Uri, residents said the shelling from across the border has been intense over the past two nights. “The firing was so heavy at night that we couldn’t sleep,” said Farooq Ahmed, a resident of Balkote village.

“Bullets from Pakistani posts flew over our houses. It was terrifying,” he said.

 

Another local recalled earlier incidents when homes were damaged in a similar firing. “We lost a few people in the past. Our houses are not safe, and we don’t have bunkers,” he said. Some of the villages that are in the direct line of Pakistani fire are Sikilote, Balnotel Churanda, Sultan Daki, Kanal Kote, etc.

 

Despite the fear and danger, villagers living close to the LoC have not left their homes. A few are taking shelter in community bunkers at night, especially in areas worst hit by the shelling.

 

Tension remained high throughout the night of May 3 and 4, with Pakistan opening fire in several areas. Incidents were reported in Kupwara and Baramulla in north Kashmir, and Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Nowshera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor in the Jammu region.

 

The Indian Army responded firmly to each provocation. A defence spokesperson said the troops also fired illumination rounds to light up the terrain and prevent any infiltration by terrorists under the cover of darkness.

 

“This is the tenth night of unprovoked firing,” defence sources said. “Our troops are responding promptly and are keeping a strict watch to stop any cross-border movement.” Ceasefire violations were reported from at least eight places across five districts on the intertwining night of May 3 and 4.  Thankfully, there were no casualties. 

 

The situation at the LoC has worsened since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists. In response, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty on April 24  and recently banned Pakistani ships from using Indian ports.

 

These recent developments have put a serious strain on the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to the 2003 ceasefire in February 2021, which had largely held until now. But, the recent surge in hostilities has shattered over three years of relative calm.

India