Border Residents Demand More Bunkers for Safety
SUHAIL KHAN
URI-BARAMULLA, May 07 : Residents in the border areas of Kashmir spent an anxious night as guns roared from across the Line of Control (LOC) following missile strikes by Indian armed forces on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early Wednesday.
Speaking exclusively to Kashmir Despatch, Sadiq, a social activist, said, “Leaders who speak of national pride must first protect those at the nation’s edge. Uri needs bunkers—not slogans, not speeches. #SafetyForUri.”
She added, “We are living by God’s mercy. It was a night of calamity—bombing, firing, and shelling from all directions. We are already half-dead, and after last night’s shelling, we are nearly finished.”
“We want bunkers so that in such situations, we can save ourselves, our future, and our younger generation,” she pleaded.
Shalija Begum described the ordeal: “It was not just a sleepless night but a terrifying one, with shells exploding nearby, echoing through the hills. We are still traumatized by what we witnessed on Tuesday night.”
Taja Begum, another local woman from Uri, recounted, “It was like a war zone—the injured screaming for help, families scrambling for cover. The damage was everywhere.”
Tearfully, she begged, “Please forgive us. We don’t want to live like this anymore. Help us. Give us a chance to survive.”
Sadiq Akbar, an elderly man sitting outside his damaged home with tears in his eyes, expressed mixed emotions: “We are proud of our nation for giving a befitting reply to the enemies of peace. But what is our fault? Why must we suffer? We are damaged, injured, and helpless.”
He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “Please take care of us. We are poor and have already suffered enough from cross-border shelling. At least save our younger generation.”
Another group of residents cried out in despair: “Why only us? Why must we suffer? Why are we always the target? Where can we go? Please relocate us somewhere safer. We didn’t sleep, we didn’t eat—we spent the whole night at God’s mercy, screaming, crying, and helplessly watching each other suffer. We need bunkers! We need to live! We want a future for our children!”
They also highlighted the poor condition of existing bunkers: “The deteriorating state of bunkers has left us vulnerable.”
Farooq Habib , a resident of Salamabad, explained, “Most bunkers are in ruins—no electricity, no water, no toilets. Some don’t even have roofs. Construction was abandoned two years ago, and we don’t know why.”
Once again, the border villagers of Baramulla are urgently appealing for the repair and completion of pending bunker construction—their only shield during cross-border shelling.
Meanwhile, twelve people were killed and 42 others injured in cross-border artillery and mortar shelling in this worst-hit border district, soon after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ early Wednesday to target nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
The Pakistani shelling was not only restricted to Poonch but was also observed in the forward areas of the nearby Rajouri district in the Jammu region, as well as in the Uri, Karnah, and Tangdhar sectors in Kupwara district.
The Pakistani response involved the use of heavy artillery and mortars, targeting dozens of forward villages and densely populated civilian areas in Mankote, Mendhar, Thandi Kassi, and Poonch City, a police officer monitoring the situation on the ground reported.
According to official data available with Kashmir Despatch, more than 150 residents of Dhaki have relocated to the homes of their relatives after over a dozen residential houses were damaged by the shelling.
Reports from Uri indicate that half of the population has been evacuated to safer places in Baramulla and its outskirts as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, in a latest development, the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) of Baramulla has ordered over half a dozen schools to dispatch their buses to the Government Degree College (GDC) Baramulla.
According to the order issued by ARTO Baramulla, the schools were given a one-hour deadline for compliance.
“The schools are advised to maintain close communication with the district administration and ARTO Baramulla for further coordination,” the order states.
In the order, the school heads have also been directed to provide details of the dispatched vehicles, along with the names and phone numbers of the drivers, to the ARTO office in Baramulla (HQ Sopore).
“Any negligence will be viewed seriously, and non-compliance during this time will result in the cancellation of the vehicle’s registration without any further notice,” the order adds.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
