Lull on border, tension intact

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 24

With guns falling silent after days together, there was an uneasy tranquility along the 198-km-long International Border (IB) on Thursday. Wary, most border residents were reluctant to return home. But the more plucky among them decided to see for themselves the damage done to their houses, fields and the livestock.

“Though the shelling has stopped, tension persists. We came home to preserve the grain stored inside our houses and to take care of our cattle,” said Gardhari Lal of Treva village in Arnia sector. Not taking any chances, the administration has requested those in shelter camps to stay put, or shift to safer places. “We apprehend that Pakistan may resume firing if they go back to their villages right now. We need to wait and watch,” explained Arun Manhas, Additional DC, Jammu.

The relentless shelling for nine days in a row took the lives of nine civilians and two BSF jawans and left 60 persons injured. It started on the intervening night of May 14-15 when a BSF jawan was killed as he repelled a

Ceasefire violation in Uri sector

Srinagar/Kupwara: Pakistan violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in north Kashmir’s Uri sector on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday and targeted Army posts in Kamalkote sector of Baramulla district. The firing was retaliated. There was no loss of life or injury. TNSn infiltration attempt in the Samba sector.