Punjab: Border area residents heave sigh of relief; forces still on alert

Residents of border villages in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran heaved a sigh of relief following the suspension of hostilities between India and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the armed forces and the police remained on alert in the aftermath of ceasefire violations by Pakistan on Saturday.

DIG (Border Range) Satinder Singh and Amritsar (Rural) SSP Maninder Singh said though the border situation improved, they were still on alert to meet any eventuality.

However, panic gripped Wadala Veeram village of Majitha in Amritsar after a part of a “missile-like object” was found in a field. Air Force and Army personnel took it away. Desa Singh, a resident of Bhindi Aulakh village in Ajnala, said there was no firing or drone attack from across the border after the ceasefire announcement.

He said they returned to their daily routine on Sunday after two days of heavy artillery firing from both sides.

Gurnam Singh of Umarpura village said war was not a solution and both countries should hold talks to solve every dispute. “War only brings destruction. Innocent lives are lost on both sides of the border,” he added.

Day of peace for residents of Gurdaspur, Pathankot

Gurdaspur: Peace largely prevailed in almost all 150 border villages of Gurdaspur and Pathankot.

Residents of Gurdaspur’s Chauntra, Dugri, Bhaupur Afghana, Dostpur, Kukkad and Nadala villages said this time, they had received no instruction from the armed forces to evacuate.

Tarn Taran: Manjinder Singh Manna of Naushehra Dhala village here said normalcy returned after days of border tensions. In Khemkaran, markets opened and people thronged to buy essential items. Baba Ajit Singh, a sewadar at a gurdwara, said many people could not find work in the past three days.

(Inputs from Ravi Dhaliwal and Gurbaxpuri)

Punjab