New Delhi, Jan. 21 (TNS): The bustling settlement of Arnia and a chain of border hamlets along the India-Pakistan border now wear an empty look, with over 40,000 villagers abandoning their homes to escape retaliate firing by Pakistani forces, Indian media reported on Sunday.
India continued ceasefire violations and unprovoked firing on LoC, working boundary and international border and Pakistan troops are retaliating to Indian aggression.
Dozens Pakistani civilians and soldiers have been martyred by Indian aggression in border areas in last few weeks.
In India, Arnia town, with a population of 18,000, resembles a ghost town with only a few people left each in its adjoining hamlets to take care of animals and guard homes.
Farming, schooling, cattle rearing and everything else on which border dwellers survive have come to a halt due to the shelling episodes.
Villagers at the forefront of Pakistani retaliate shelling say they feel they are in a war zone with sounds of mortar bombs and rattle of automatic weapons booming in the area.
After heavy cross-border shelling for over two days, the
Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan said 58 villages in Arnia and Suchetgarh sectors of Jammu district have been affected due to the shelling by Pakistan.
“Over 36,000 border dwellers have migrated from their homes”, the DC said and added that 131 animals have been
killed, 93 injured besides damage caused to 74 buildings and houses.
