Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 26: A haunting silence has descended along the 198-km International Border (IB) in Jammu, where escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack have cast a shadow of uncertainty.
Across the border, Pakistani authorities have evacuated entire villages, fearing a significant retaliatory response from India, while on the Indian side, border communities grapple with fear and apprehension amid an increasingly volatile situation.
In the village of Londi, situated just meters from the IB in Kathua’s Hiranagar sector, locals report a stark absence of life in three major Pakistani villages—Sukhmal, Sukhechak, and Chajar—directly across the border. According to Ravi Sharma, a longtime resident of Londi, these villages, once bustling with daily activity, now stand deserted. “The Pakistan Rangers, who typically patrol the area, have been replaced by heavily armed units of the Pakistani Army,” Sharma said. “For the last couple of days, we’ve heard no calls to prayer from the mosques across the border, no sounds of livestock, and no signs of civilian life. It’s as if the villages have been wiped clean.”
This sudden evacuation has heightened concerns among Indian villagers, who describe an atmosphere of unease. The absence of routine sounds from the Pakistani side—once a familiar backdrop to life in these border hamlets—has left locals on edge.
“We used to hear children playing, farmers working, and the occasional vehicle. Now, there’s nothing but silence,” a border dweller said, adding, “It feels like something big is coming, and we’re caught in the middle.”
Further south, in the Arnia sector of Jammu district, similar reports emerge. Gurpal Singh, a farmer from Arnia, described a noticeable buildup of Pakistani military forces across the border. “There’s heavy deployment—tanks, armored vehicles, and soldiers everywhere,” he said. “The villagers on their side have been moved out, and we don’t know why or where they’ve gone.” Singh’s observations align with reports froma align with reports of mass evacuations, suggesting Pakistan is preparing for potential conflict, further fueling anxiety among Indian border communities.
The palpable fear gripping Indian villages is compounded by the memory of the recent Pulwama terror attack, which killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel and severely strained India-Pakistan relations. Against this backdrop, the sudden evacuation of Pakistani villages has sparked speculation of an imminent escalation, though no official confirmation has emerged.
From Kathua to Samba and Jammu districts, a team from Early Times observed an eerie calm during a visit on Friday. Schools in border areas have reported lower attendance, and many families have begun preparing emergency supplies, fearing a repeat of past cross-border skirmishes.
In 2016 and 2018, heavy shelling along the IB and Line of Control (LoC) displaced thousands and damaged homes, leaving a lasting impact on these communities. “We’ve seen this before,” said Anil Kumar, a shopkeeper in Samba. “The silence is worse than the gunfire. At least then, you know what’s happening.”
State administration officials, while maintaining silence publicly, have privately assured preparedness. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official revealed that contingency plans are in place, including evacuation protocols and coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF). “We’re monitoring the situation closely and are ready for any eventuality,” the official said. Shelters and relief camps, used during past flare-ups, have been readied, and local police have increased patrols to reassure residents.
Official data underscores the scale of the border population at risk. A total of 457 villages, with a combined population of 4,51,856, are located along the IB and LoC in Jammu’s Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri, and Poonch districts. Of these, over 1.50 lakh people reside along the 224.5-km LoC stretch, with the remainder along the IB. These communities, primarily agrarian, face disruption to their livelihoods during periods of cross-border violence, with crops destroyed and markets shuttered. |
