Fear persists as border dwellers return home

As guns fell silent, over 4,000 border villagers returned to their homes in dozens of hamlets along the International Border (IB) in Jammu sector amid fear of firing and shelling by Pakistani troops.
After the truce called by Indian and Pakistani forces at flag meetings recently, normal life resumed in the region today as people were seen cleaning their homes and doing other chores while some farmers along the border in R S Pura were trying to irrigate Basmati rice fields.
However, fear is writ large on the faces of people living in dozens of villages, particularly Suchetgarh, Jabowal, Pindi Chadka, Sai, Abdullian, Bera, Jora Farm, Treva and others as people feel Pakistan can resort to firing and shelling any time and throw their lives out of gear.

"We have returned to our village last night after a week of staying in safe shelter in view of the border firing by Pakistan," said Kailasho Devi of Sai village, who was cleaning her house and doing other chores.
She expressed apprehensions of firing by Pakistani forces, but stressed that home was better than the shelters.
"We don't trust Pakistan. They can fire anytime, but we are very happy to return to our homes. It is better to live in our homes than in shelter places," she said.

Over 4,000 people of 20 villages were evacuated by the administration and put in safe shelters in R S Pura, Arnia and Ramgarh belts of Jammu and Samba districts on August 24 in view of the repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces.

Three persons were killed and 17 others, including 4 BSF jawans, injured, in the firing along the border in Jammu and Samba sector in August.
The return of the villagers has been possible after Indian and Pakistani forces held three flag meetings from August 27 to 29 in which it was decided to maintain border truce.
"All the border villagers, who escaped shelling and firing and were staying for the past week in safe shelters in R S Pura teshil, have returned back to their homes and hearths in border villages along IB in Jammu," District Development Commissioner (DDC), Jammu, Ajeet Sahu said.