Fear psychosis grips border residents

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 24

In the midst of strained Indo-Pak relations and rumours of war-mongering following the Uri terror attack, a fear psychosis over the “possible” border hostility between the two countries and chances of mass migration has gripped the people residing along the 198-km international border — from Kathua, bordering Punjab, to Akhnoor, north of Jammu.

Although the administration and security forces are yet to formally ask people to remain alert and prepared for any volatile situation, the growing bitterness in the relations between India and Pakistan have put the border residents on their toes.

However, their woes have mounted in view of the failure of the Central and the state governments to construct community bunkers (to take shelter during firing and shelling) in border belts and provide them residential plots at safer places.

Official sources said an informal alert had been issued to the border people wherein they had been asked to maintain a constant vigil and remain prepared for any volatile situation against the backdrop of killing of 18 soldiers by terrorists at the Uri Army base.

“We don’t want to create a panic among the people. The rumours of war-mongering have forced us to convey to the border residents not to panic but, at the same time, they have been asked to remain prepared for any situation,” a senior official of the state administration said.

Bharat Bhushan, senior vice president of the Border Welfare Union, Kathua, Hiranagar and Samba, said, “A fear psychosis has been prevailing among the people of 33 border villages as they are uncertain about each day, especially following the Uri terror attack. They are afraid of tense situation which may explode any time. They will be the first victim of any border skirmish.”

He claimed that the Pakistani forces burst firecrackers after the 18 soldiers attained martyrdom at Uri. “Their (Pakistani forces) act was to provoke the people, including the BSF, which maintained complete restraint. We had a meeting with officers of the Kathua administration, informing them about the prevailing situation. We have been asked to maintain a close watch on the situation and remain prepared to deal with any eventuality,” he added.

He said it was the high time for the Centre to have a “decisive battle” with the hostile neighbour for restoration of permanent peace along the border. “We do not want to leave our home and hearth every time. It has become a routine now. The time has come to settle all contentious issues once for all. We have not been provided the promised five-marla plots in safe zones, while no community bunker has been constructed in border areas,” Bhushan said.

Pertinently, the Home Ministry had approved construction of 60 concrete community bunkers in the border blocks of the Jammu region at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore to protect border residents from cross-border shelling of Pakistan.