Shell-shocked Jammu stirs back to life as guns, bombs, drones fall silent

JAMMU: An uneasy calm descended Sunday on the forward areas along the international border and LoC in J&K’s Jammu division after days of heavy shelling by Pakistan, including for a few hours after a pause was declared on military operations.

Residents of towns and villages in Rajouri, Poonch, Jammu, Samba and Udhampur gingerly got back to work amid confirmation that there was no ceasefire violation and drone activity from across the LoC since midnight.

“With Pakistan, you never know. They violated the LoC ceasefire in Feb 2021 and 2003, too. That explains why we are still treading cautiously,” said Vishal Sharma, a resident of Poonch. “Our Army will surely keep a close watch.”

Applauding the Army and police for shielding and evacuating people from the forward areas of Poonch and Rajouri, Javed Ahmed Bandey from Mendhar said it was because of pre-emptive action that many lives were saved. “Over the past few days, you saw how Pakistan shelled civilian areas. Our brave forces acted as a shield and saved us,” he said.

Additional SP Mohan Sharma of Poonch led a team to Jhullas, Mangna and Salotri villages to assess the situation and reassure the local population that they would be safeguarded.

"The safety of our border residents is our top priority. The police administration stands with the people of Poonch, especially those directly affected by ceasefire violations. Every effort will be made to address their grievances promptly," he said.