This Article is From Aug 25, 2014

Near Pakistan Border, No Rest for BSF Men & No Peace for Villagers

BSF jawans near International Border seem to be on duty round the clock.

Jammu: As firing and shelling escalates along the International Border with Pakistan in Jammu, we travelled to ground zero in a bullet-proof vehicle of the Border Security Force or the BSF to assess the ground situation.

The Arnia sector has witnessed the most intense ceasefire violations over the last few days.  

Pakistani rangers are using small arms and automatic weapons from across the border; they are also firing mortar shells towards the BSF posts and the villages at the International Border.

BSF men claim they are adequately retaliating to Pakistan's aggression.

According to the BSF, there have been as many as 30 ceasefire violations at the International Border in Jammu since July 16.

BSF jawans here are doing their duty round the clock. With the firing and shelling virtually becoming a daily feature, the situation is extremely tense, and the jawans cannot afford to lower their guard for a moment.

But the real victims are those living in the villages along the International Border.

One of them is Gurcharan Singh, who lives in RS Pura Sector. His house bears the testimony of the volatile situation - most of its walls are splinter-riddled. Mr Singh shows us a rocket that  landed in his house during the night.

"The situation is very bad. The government had announced a few years ago that locals living near the border will be allotted plots of land at a safe distance, but so far, nothing has been done," says Mr Singh.

Dozens of villagers have been migrating due to the incessant shelling and firing. Many of them are camping in a school at Rangpur in RS Pura.

"We can't live in peace either during the night or in the day, we are scared," says a villager who has just migrated along with his family.

Unless there is an end to ceasefire violations and these villagers are reassured about their safety, they may not be able to go back to their homes, or enjoy a moment of peace.
.