Thousands of border residents in Uri area are pensive and have remained hooked to TV news channels constantly beaming war debates since the suicide bombing in Pulwama, fearing war between India and Pakistan.
The airwaves are filled with war hysteria ever since a car bomb struck a paramilitary convoy on February 14 killing at least 40 troopers and sending India-Pakistan relations on a nosedive.
The terrified border residents here say that in past also they had been the victims of hostilities between the two countries; however, the scale of war hysteria this time is so high that they are experiencing sleepless nights.
“The entire population of this village remains hooked to TV and Radio sets these days. The way debates are being conducted on different TV Channels, it gives an impression that relationship between the two countries is worsening beyond repair,” said Basheer Ahmad, a resident of Silkote village in Uri near the heavily militarised Line of Control.
In February last year, the twin villages Silkote and Churanda in Uri witnessed near-total migration of the residents when troops of India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery.
Several structures were damaged in the skirmish while local population left the area and took shelter in shelter camps at main town of Uri until the situation returned normal.
Families living close to the ‘Zero line’ villages like Silkote, Churanda, Tilawari, Batagram, Soura and Hathlanga were praying for peace and end to hostilities between the rivals.
“I have lost my mother in 2003 when she was hit by a shell while grazing cattle in the fields. My leg was amputated in 2001 when a shell hit me,” said Bashir Ahmad of Churunda village.
The border residents here again voiced their demand for construction of underground bunkers. They say in case of any eventuality, they have no option but to leave the area even in the dead of night.