STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: More than 48 hours after the last bullet was fired from across the International Border, the majority of villagers in Abdulian are still living in a state of fear, shock, disbelief and with lack of security cover within the ‘firing line’.
Frequent incidents of border firing in the recent weeks and face-off with death from close quarters has left them terrified and scared, especially after their livestock was hit hard by enemy bullets and mortars.
Before the current cycle of border tension was triggered in the aftermath of sniper attack on BSF Sepoy Gurnam Singh in Hiranagar Sector, life was just going on smoothly for these border residents along with thousands of others living close to the International Border in Jammu Frontier.
“We were reaping good harvest during the peace time despite non- settlement of our land/crop compensation cases for variety of reasons. We were never terrified nor directly targeted but the current spell of cross border firing has exposed our security and forced us to redraw our long term plans” several villagers sharing their serious security concerns told visiting team of media persons on Friday in Abdullian border village.
The opposition party leaders have also started raising their voices for allocation of 5 marlas of plot for these people.
The villagers who instantly recollect their experiences of getting uprooted from their houses at the peak of hostilities between the two nations said, “Kab kya ho jaye is baat ka pata nahin, abhi toh pura gaon dahshat ke mahol mein jee raha hai (No one knows what will happen next, the entire village is still living in a state of shock).
The women are not allowing their kids to go back to the village even during day time as they fear for their lives. Same is the case with village elders who used to roam free and enjoy their freedom.
“Now I am stuck at a relief camp in R. S Pura and my sons are not allowing me to return home even though firing has not been reported in the area since Tuesday”.
Demanding fool proof security from the government, the villagers said, “The harvesting season is currently on and majority of farmers were looking forward to bumpy paddy crop but their dreams have shattered”.
Ch Chunni Lal, a village farmer living in Abdullian village said, “Repeated incidents of cross border firing have raised suspicion in our minds that we are no longer safe and firing can take place anytime from anywhere. We feel insecure while working in our fields in the absence of any shield”.
Another senior citizen, Prem Nath, also a resident of village Abdulian said, the border residents are living in a state of shock ever since the firing incident took place after a long gap. Farmers in the villages cannot move safely to their fields located close to the border fencing. He said some of our farmers have lost their precious live stock and should be duly compensated as they were earning their bread and butter with the help of these animal. Meanwhile, sensing mood of the terrified village population, senior BSF officers along with officials of the state administration visited the forward villagers and took stock of the situation. The senior BSF officers also delivered motivated lectures to jawans deployed in the forward areas and distributed sweets amid chanting of patriotic slogans. A special meeting of village elders with the security personnel was also arranged to instill a sense of security among the common masses.
