India-Pak ceasefire: After days of intense shelling across LoC, uneasy calm prevails in J&K's border areas

An uneasy calm prevailed along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) on Sunday night after several days of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan, which left 25 people dead and dozens injured. The violence followed India’s launch of Operation Sindoor, carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

 

The pause in hostilities comes after a ceasefire agreement was reached between India and Pakistan on Saturday. The agreement has provided relief to villages close to the LoC and IB after several nights of horror due to unprecedented firing and shelling from Pakistan.

 

Hundreds of border residents from Uri and Karnah had fled their homes in search of safety. Many families sought refuge in safer areas like Baramulla and Srinagar.

 

“I have shifted to the parental house of my daughter-in-law in Khawjabagh, Baramulla,” Attaullah Khan told THE WEEK. “Other members of the family have moved to Srinagar’s Padshahi Bagh,” he said. Khan added that young men in Baramulla have stepped forward to help the displaced families from Uri, providing free food and accommodation. “The government has also arranged shelters for people who fled from different areas,” he said.

 

In Barlkote, one of the villages closest to the LoC in Uri, resident Farooq Ahmed confirmed that no firing had taken place since Saturday night. “I shifted my family to Baramulla a few days ago,” he said. “I hope they will return in a day or two.”

 

In Karnah, Ghulam Mustafa Magray, former sarpanch of Gabra village, said the situation has calmed and the ceasefire appears to be holding. “Schools are closed, but people are tending to their fields, cattle and carrying out normal work,” he said. He added, “Around 40 per cent of the people have fled from different villages of Karnah to Kupwara and other places.”

 

Magray said the shelling had severely affected the villages of Gabra, Haji Naar, Dragud, Tyani, Bagh Bela, and Tangdhar. “Some crops have also been affected due to the shelling,” he said. According to him, people who remained behind had to hide in cattle sheds during the firing, as there were no bunkers available for protection.

 

Border villages in Jammu severely hit by cross-border shelling

 

After four days of heavy firing and shelling from Pakistan, an uneasy calm has returned to the Line of Control (LOC) and International Border (IB) in the Jammu region. There were no fresh ceasefire violations reported on Saturday, bringing relief to the people living in border areas. Many had faced some of the worst violence seen in recent times.

 

The shelling caused serious damage and loss in the districts of Rajouri, Poonch, and parts of Jammu. Officials from the Border Security Force (BSF) said that Constable Deepak Chimngakham, who was badly injured in shelling by Pakistan in RS Pura on May 10, died on Sunday. This brings the total number of security personnel killed in this violence to six.

 

Earlier, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Imtiyaz was also killed in RS Pura. Seven other BSF jawans were injured. The BSF also stopped a major infiltration attempt in the Samba sector, killing seven terrorists.

 

On the civilian side, the losses were heartbreaking. As many as 13 people were killed in Poonch, three in Rajouri, and one in RS Pura. Another civilian died in a drone attack at Kheri in the Raipur area of Jammu. The victims included children, religious leaders, siblings, and a JKAS officer, showing how random and deadly the shelling was.

 

Reports said that nearly 200 homes and shops were damaged in Rajouri and Poonch. Such large-scale damage to civilian property has never happened before in these areas. In response, Indian forces reportedly caused serious damage to Pakistani posts along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch.

 

Now that the guns have fallen silent since Saturday morning, many people who had fled their homes are starting to return. But some families are waiting a little longer to be sure the situation is safe. Meanwhile, government teams have started checking the damage and preparing to help affected families. There is hope that life will soon return to normal for the people living near the border. 

India