Long nights of fire: Fear abound as Pakistan forces pound border towns

Arnia border (Jammu), September 17

As dusk sets in, families in Arnia town on the India-Pakistan border sit huddled night after night, listening to the rattle of gunfire and exploding mortars.

In the past four days — rather nights — two people, including a BSF jawan have died, a dozen injured and several animals, including cattle, killed in the indiscriminate firing by Pakistan forces at this town and adjoining hamlets.

Houses in Arnia, Sia, Nikowal, Budhwar, Buley Chak, SH Way, Treva Mahasha Kote, Pindi and Pawal villages bear evidence of sprayed bullets and splinters of mortar shells.

Each night is an "encounter with death and devastation", say residents.

Three BSF guards have been injured and a temple, among other buildings, has been left damaged in the firing in Jammu and Poonch districts in the last four days.

Indian officials said two Pakistani soldiers have been killed in BSF’s retaliatory firing.

"Since the past 2–3 days, we have faced the worst kind of shelling. Mortar bombs rain here. Every night is an encounter with death for us and every morning, a new life", Arnia resident Yashpaul said. Since shelling began on Friday, his family has moved to the store in his house.

Sia resident Hari Singh said that nobody slept in the border hamlets anymore.

"Fear is driving out our sleep. We face heavy shelling from 11 pm till the morning," Singh, a former sarpanch, said.

Dead cattle in pools of bloods, torn off rooftops and windows punctured by bullets and splinters of mortar bombs testify to the intensity of the shelling in this area where smell of cordite and gunpowder lingers in the air.

An overnight attack by Pakistani forces left one woman dead and five people injured in Aria town, largely considered a safe town.

"Windows rattle from the blasts of mortar bombs and rockets aimed at terrorising population along IB to bring pressure on India and its security forces. The night long attack on Saturday triggered panic among the villagers," a police officer said.

But villagers remain unwavering in their support to security forces.

Such was the intensity of the firing and shelling that 82 mm mortar shells landed in Mahasha Kote and Arnia town, some 5 km away from the International Border in Jammu district.

Carcasses of animals killed due to splinter injuries are seen strewn in Jora farm and other

"We are with our forces. They are giving them befitting reply. We demand the BSF should destroy their bunkers and posts that target us. They should never dare to fire again," said Prem Chand of Arnia.

Villagers near the borders want bunkers in their homes. 

"We urge the state and central government to speed up the plan of construction of individual bunkers. We don’t need many community bunkers. It is difficult to reach community bunkers when the shelling and firing begin," Singh said.

Although the construction of bunkers began two years ago, villagers say the pace is tardy: only 60 bunkers have so far been built so far, that too in some areas.

"The Congress Government made promises and now this government is in power for three years, but the plan has remained almost on papers. The government needs to do more", Surinder Choudhary said.