<p>Even as scores of villages in Punjab alongside the international border with Pakistan are witnessing voluntary evacuation amid fears of cross-border shelling, abled men, at least one from each household, have chosen to stay back to support the armed forces in the event of further escalation.</p>.<p>Punjab, which shares a 553-km-long border with Pakistan, has borne the brunt of earlier aggressions from Pakistan and China. Howling sirens, routine blackouts, frightening flares in the dark sky and nerve-wrecking sounds of blasts around the area have forced residents in dozens of villages in Ferozpur and Fazilka districts to move out to safer locations.</p>.<p>Tractor trolleys and other vehicles loaded with valuables, foodgrains and livestock are seen moving out of villages with women and children, even though there is no official announcement yet to evacuate villagers.</p>.<p>At least 10 cities in Punjab, including the capital city Chandigarh and the holy city of Amritsar, were unsuccessfully targeted by Pakistani drones and missiles that were destroyed by India’s air defence<br>systems.</p>.<p>Yet again on Friday morning, sirens screamed in Chandigarh and neighbouring Panchkula with inputs from the Air Force of another possible drone attack.</p>.<p>Despite evacuations, the mood in border villages remains upbeat and resolute. The 65-year-old Ferozpur native, Gurdip Singh, said most of his family members have moved out, yet he has preferred to stay back. “I did not leave my village even in the 1971 aggression,” he asserted, manifesting no streak of fear.</p>.Residents of Punjab, Rajasthan calm but anxious after nerve-wracking night.<p>Currently, 16 out of the 23 Punjab districts have remained under a complete blackout at night for the last two days. Schools, universities and other educational institutions have also been shut down.</p>.<p>Further, debris from gunned-down Pakistani drones and missiles has become a common sight in the border areas. The metal debris resembling parts of a missile was found in Hoshiarpur on Thursday evening. Earlier, similar remains were found in Makhan Windi village and Jhetuwal village in Amritsar district.</p>.<p>Amidst fear, the footfall at the revered Golden Temple in Amritsar has also fallen by almost 70%, sources said.</p>.<p>While the government has warned against any hoarding, long queues of vehicles at filling stations in several cities across the state highlight the panic.</p>.<p>Areas in Punjab, Chandigarh and around are strategic military and air bases, making it a highly operational front.</p>.<p><em>(The writer is a Chandigarh-based journalist.)</em></p>
<p>Even as scores of villages in Punjab alongside the international border with Pakistan are witnessing voluntary evacuation amid fears of cross-border shelling, abled men, at least one from each household, have chosen to stay back to support the armed forces in the event of further escalation.</p>.<p>Punjab, which shares a 553-km-long border with Pakistan, has borne the brunt of earlier aggressions from Pakistan and China. Howling sirens, routine blackouts, frightening flares in the dark sky and nerve-wrecking sounds of blasts around the area have forced residents in dozens of villages in Ferozpur and Fazilka districts to move out to safer locations.</p>.<p>Tractor trolleys and other vehicles loaded with valuables, foodgrains and livestock are seen moving out of villages with women and children, even though there is no official announcement yet to evacuate villagers.</p>.<p>At least 10 cities in Punjab, including the capital city Chandigarh and the holy city of Amritsar, were unsuccessfully targeted by Pakistani drones and missiles that were destroyed by India’s air defence<br>systems.</p>.<p>Yet again on Friday morning, sirens screamed in Chandigarh and neighbouring Panchkula with inputs from the Air Force of another possible drone attack.</p>.<p>Despite evacuations, the mood in border villages remains upbeat and resolute. The 65-year-old Ferozpur native, Gurdip Singh, said most of his family members have moved out, yet he has preferred to stay back. “I did not leave my village even in the 1971 aggression,” he asserted, manifesting no streak of fear.</p>.Residents of Punjab, Rajasthan calm but anxious after nerve-wracking night.<p>Currently, 16 out of the 23 Punjab districts have remained under a complete blackout at night for the last two days. Schools, universities and other educational institutions have also been shut down.</p>.<p>Further, debris from gunned-down Pakistani drones and missiles has become a common sight in the border areas. The metal debris resembling parts of a missile was found in Hoshiarpur on Thursday evening. Earlier, similar remains were found in Makhan Windi village and Jhetuwal village in Amritsar district.</p>.<p>Amidst fear, the footfall at the revered Golden Temple in Amritsar has also fallen by almost 70%, sources said.</p>.<p>While the government has warned against any hoarding, long queues of vehicles at filling stations in several cities across the state highlight the panic.</p>.<p>Areas in Punjab, Chandigarh and around are strategic military and air bases, making it a highly operational front.</p>.<p><em>(The writer is a Chandigarh-based journalist.)</em></p>