Border villages turn into ghost town, 1 lakh migrate
RAMGARH: The towns affected by ongoing cross-border firing were deserted as residents took refuge at camps in safer locations.
According to government’s estimate, around one lakh people have become migrants from areas such as RS Pura, Arnia, Ramgarh, Suchetgarh and Samba, located along the International Border.
As per figures from divisional commissioner office, Jammu, nearly 2,480 people are putting up in camps and 90,000 people have migrated and are putting up with their relatives in Jammu district.
About 247 people from Samba and 186 people from Kathua are putting up in camps.
Keso village with population of around 1,500 people was another place along the IB which was being emptied by the villagers.
Soonam Kundal, 19, gathers her belongings from her house in Keso village to leave for her aunt’s place.
On Tuesday evening, while her father was watering the newly constructed boundary wall, all of a sudden, a mortar shell landed in their compound injuring her parents and brother.
“I was inside the house when a shell fell in our house around 7.30pm. My family members have been shifted to Government Medical College in Jammu for treatment,” said Soonam who would be shifting to her aunt’s place.
Her aunt, Ruby, was critical of government for leaving them alone to fend for themselves in the hour of crisis.
“Earlier the firing was not so frequent, now it has become a regular affair. We cannot shift to camps every second month. We have many times pleaded before politicians, administration to provide us five marlas land in safer locations,” she said.
Des Raj, 61, an ex-serviceman slammed government for escalation on the border.
“We have been experiencing firing from across the border since decades but its intensity has increased since the BJP government has come to power at the Centre. I have sent my entire family to a camp and now I will be too leaving in the evening,” he said. He slammed the government for not giving even a penny as compensation for previous damages to life and property.