Border residents hit by COVID-19, Pak shelling

April 15, 2020 18:00

With the threat of coronavirus looming large and intense shelling by Pakistan, villagers living along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir are struck between the devil and the deep sea.

For the last month, Pakistan has targeted villages and army posts along the LoC and IB in the union territory killing and injuring several people besides damaging more than two dozen houses.

While several attempts were made by infiltrators in the last few days to enter India along the LoC in Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu region with Pakistani army providing cover fire to them.

There is heightened fear in the villages under the three districts especially after three civilians were killed last week in Kupwara due to shelling by Pakistan.

"I was seriously injured in the shelling by Pakistan On one side we are fighting to save our families from the threat of coronavirus and on the other they (Pakistan) are targeting us in our houses," Showkat, a resident of village Kasba in Poonch district said.

"We are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, he added.

Corroborating his views, Balakote resident Mumtaz Bibi said the villagers have urged the administration to build bunkers for them but their plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

"We had demanded that bunkers be built so that we can save our families from Pakistan shelling. We met district officials but nothing has been done yet. Three shells hit our houses recently and we narrowly escaped," she said.

"We can still save our families from coronavirus by following all guidelines but how do we protect ourselves from mortar shells? asked Mumtaz who said that her home had been totally damaged due to shelling.

However, a district officer said the process of setting up bunkers along the LoC in all the border districts had been initiated sometime back but the due to the coronavirus pandemic, work had to be stopped.

"We will ensure that bunkers are built for people living along the LoC," he said. -- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

SC dismisses pleas to review Article 370 revocation verdict in Dec 2023

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud considered the pleas in chambers and dismissed applications for listing of the review petition in open Court.

Briton dead, many hurt as turbulence hits SIA flight; 3 Indians among flyers

The airline confirmed that there were injuries onboard, and stated that all "possible assistance" will be provided to the passengers on the aircraft.

Pune accident: Registration of Porsche car that mowed down 2 yet to be done

Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar told PTI that the Porsche car was imported in March by a dealer in Bengaluru and from there it was sent to Maharashtra on a temporary registration.

Phase 5 voter turnout at 62.19%; nears 2019 polling percentage

The fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections has so far registered a voter turnout of approximately 62.19 percent, 1.97 percentage points less than 2019.

Qualifier 1: How Starc ripped into in-form SRH batting

Pacer Mitchell Starc was adjudged player of the match for his sensational bowling up front when he claimed the scalps of Travis Head, Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed in the powerplay.