Sat to eat when sirens went off due to Pak shelling: J&K resident
Uri, a small town in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, has been hit by intense shelling by Pakistan on Thursday night, leaving one woman dead and several others injured. The incident has left the residents of the town shaken, with many recalling the horror and chaos that ensued when the sirens went off.
Among those who witnessed the terrifying scene was 38-year-old Babar, a resident of Uri. He was sitting down to eat with his family when suddenly, the sirens rang out, signaling an imminent attack. “We just sat down to eat when the siren rang out,” Babar recalled. “We left everything and ran to the neighbors’ bunker.”
According to Babar, his house has been destroyed twice in the past. The first time was in 1999, when shelling by Pakistan left his home in ruins. The second time was in 2005, when an earthquake struck the region, causing further damage to his home. Despite these experiences, Babar said that the intensity of the shelling on Thursday night was unprecedented.
“I have never seen anything like this before,” Babar said. “The shelling was so intense that we could feel the ground shaking beneath our feet. We were lucky to have made it to the bunker alive.”
Babar’s account is echoed by many other residents of Uri, who have been living in fear of Pakistan’s shelling for years. The town has been a frequent target of Pakistan’s artillery fire, with many residents having fled to safer areas.
The shelling on Thursday night began around 9:30 pm, with the Pakistan Army targeting several areas in Uri, including the town’s main market and residential areas. The Indian Army retaliated with its own artillery fire, but the damage had already been done.
Among those affected by the shelling was 50-year-old Nusrat Begum, who was killed in the crossfire. Begum, a mother of three, was rushed to the hospital, but succumbed to her injuries. Several others were injured in the shelling, including women and children.
The incident has sparked outrage across the country, with many calling for stronger measures to be taken against Pakistan’s aggression. The Indian government has condemned the attack, saying that it will not tolerate such aggression and will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens.
The shelling on Thursday night is just the latest in a series of incidents along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The region has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan for decades, with both countries accusing each other of violating the ceasefire.
Despite the tensions, the people of Uri remain steadfast in their determination to rebuild and move forward. “We will not be cowed by Pakistan’s aggression,” said Babar. “We will rebuild our homes and our lives, and we will not let them win.”
As the people of Uri work to rebuild and recover, they are left to wonder when the shelling will stop and when they will be able to live in peace. Until then, they will continue to live in fear, always on the lookout for the sirens that signal an imminent attack.
