Sat to eat when sirens went off due to Pak shelling: J&K resident
The Uri town in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, was hit by intense shelling by Pakistan on Thursday night, resulting in the death of one woman and injuring several others. The incident has left the residents of the area shaken, with many recalling the traumatic experience of huddling together in bunkers, waiting for the shelling to cease.
Among those who were affected by the shelling was 38-year-old Babar, who recounted the harrowing experience to the Indian Express. “We just sat down to eat when the siren rang out,” Babar said, still visibly shaken by the events of the night. “We left everything and ran to the neighbours’ bunker.”
Babar’s house, which is located near the LoC, has been destroyed twice in the past. The first time was in 1999, when it was hit by shelling during the Kargil War. The second time was during the 2005 earthquake, which struck Kashmir and caused widespread destruction.
Despite the trauma of losing his home twice, Babar remains resolute in the face of the ongoing conflict. “We are used to this kind of thing,” he said. “We know that we have to be prepared to face it.”
However, even for those who are accustomed to living in a conflict zone, the sudden and intense shelling can be terrifying. Babar’s account of the night’s events paints a vivid picture of the chaos and fear that gripped the town.
“We were all sitting together, eating our dinner, when suddenly the siren went off,” he recalled. “We knew what it meant – the Pakistanis were shelling us. We quickly grabbed our belongings and ran to the neighbours’ bunker.”
The bunker, which is located in a nearby building, is a cramped and dimly lit space that is designed to provide protection from shelling. It is not a place where one would want to spend the night, but for those who live in Uri, it is a necessary evil.
As the shelling continued, the residents of Uri huddled together in the bunker, praying for the violence to cease. Babar said that the sound of the shells was deafening, and that it was difficult to think straight.
“It was like nothing I have ever experienced before,” he said. “The noise was so loud that it was hard to hear anything else. We were all just waiting for it to stop.”
The shelling eventually subsided, but the residents of Uri know that it can happen again at any moment. The town has been a target of Pakistani shelling for years, and many residents have lost loved ones in the violence.
Despite the fear and uncertainty that grips the town, the residents of Uri are determined to carry on. They know that they have to be strong, not just for themselves, but for their families and their community.
As Babar said, “We have to be prepared to face whatever comes our way. We can’t let the Pakistanis dictate our lives. We will continue to live here, and we will continue to fight for our rights.”
The incident in Uri is a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, and the human cost that it exacts. It is a conflict that has been going on for decades, and one that shows no signs of abating.
As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of the conflict, the residents of Uri are left to pick up the pieces and try to rebuild their lives. It is a difficult and daunting task, but one that they are determined to undertake.
In the words of Babar, “We may have been hurt, but we will not be defeated. We will rise again, and we will continue to fight for our rights.”
