A day after flare-up, uneasy calm prevails along LoC in Kashmir

An uneasy calm prevailed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir on Saturday, a day after shelling between troops of India and Pakistan left five soldiers and six civilians dead on the Indian side and eight Pakistan army personnel killed.

An army official said no cross-border firing or shelling incidents were reported since Friday evening. The firing and shelling stopped following strong retaliation by Indian Army, he said.

Ghulam Mohammad Chichi, a resident of Madian village in Uri said after the shelling stopped his family returned home from an underground bunker this morning. “The shelling stopped at around 11 pm yesterday [Friday]. I along with my family had taken shelter in a nearby underground bunker,” he told DH over the phone.

Also read — LoC flare-up: 6 civilians, 5 security personnel killed

However, he said, a tense situation still prevails along the LoC as they live in constant fear. “In this harsh winter, we have to remain on our toes as shelling can start at any time. Not only people on this side of the LoC but residents on the other side too are facing the brunt of Indo-Pak animosity,” Chichi rued.

Another border resident said that several shells fell on roads close to the residential areas. “We live in fear every time now. We do not know when the shells will start raining close to our homes,” he said.

Sources said security forces have strengthened presence all along the LoC, notwithstanding temporary thaw in the shelling, and firing and were ready to retaliate any fresh ceasefire violations from the Pakistan side.

“There are reports that Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad militants have mixed up with the Pakistan Army to target Indian posts and infiltrate into the Indian territory. Taking no chance, the army and the BSF were taking all steps to counter infiltration attempts by the militants along the LoC,” a source said.

The Pakistani troops targeted border outposts and dozens of hamlets along the LoC from Gurez to Uri in north Kashmir on Friday, killing six civilians and five Indian soldiers.