Punjab, J-K, Rajasthan border-dwellers wend their way home—but is it safe?

After teetering on the edge for nearly a week, border regions in the north experienced a less fraught day, with no shelling, no sightings of drones, and a comparatively lighter yoke of emergency measures.

Residents of villages close to the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, especially, who were forced to flee due to heavy shelling by the Pakistani military have started returning home on Monday, 12 May.

They started their journey back to their villages after bomb disposal squads cleared the residential areas of any leftover or unexploded shells, officials said.

"We are happy that a ceasefire has been reached between the two countries. We are also hopeful that Pakistan will not resort to such activities again," said Arshad Ahmad, a resident of the Kamalkote area in Uri.

Some residents praised the army and other security forces for taking care of them.

Uri MLA Sajjad Shafi, however, has asked the residents of villages along the frontline to remain vigilant and not touch anything suspicious.

"They should immediately report any suspicious objects to the authorities for proper disposal," he said.

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, 11 May, asked the residents of border villages not to rush back as residential areas were yet to be sanitised and cleared of any unexplored shells.

More than 1.25 lakh residents of villages close to the LoC in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts were evacuated to safety as their homes were at a very high risk of being targeted in Pakistani shelling.

"Do not return to frontline villages. Lives are at risk as unexplored munitions remain (scattered) after Pakistani shelling," police said in an advisory on Sunday.

"As many as 41 lives were lost in explosions of leftover shells near the LoC in 2023 alone," they had said, highlighting the dangers of civilians rushing back to villages.

However, earlier today, chief minister Omar Abdullah visited Poonch to meet with survivors and bereaved families, and said it was safe for the residents — 80-90 per cent of whom had abandoned their homes — to come back.

Poonch district accounted for 18 of the 25 total fatalities since Wednesday. It also recorded injuries to 50 people.

The Pakistani shelling began shortly after India commenced Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam.

In Jammu and Kashmir, today was a holiday; schools in the non-border districts will reopen tomorrow, 13 May.

Meanwhile, in the border areas of Punjab, markets teemed with people, even though schools in some districts have remained shut. Schools in Ferozepur, Fazilka, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts, that lie on the border with Pakistan, remained shut on Monday. In Pathankot and Gurdaspur, colleges and universities also remained closed.

Punjab shares a 553-km frontier with Pakistan.

Pakistan especially targeted Pathankot with multiple drone attacks, but they were thwarted by the Indian security forces.

In Ferozepur, villagers who had moved to safer places were returning to their villages.

Daler Singh, a native of Jallo Ke village near the border, said that most residents of nearby areas had left hearth and home. "Now, most of them have returned but they remain cautious. Overall, life is normal and we are going back to our fields," he said.

A Ferozepur native said, "The situation is normal now. We hope the ceasefire holds and peace prevails."

Jammu and Kashmir, the worst hit border, was peaceful last night with no hostilities between the Indian and Pakistani militaries along the Line of Control and the International Border.

"The night remained largely peaceful across Jammu and Kashmir and other areas along the International border," the Indian Army said in a brief statement Monday morning.

"No incidents have been reported, marking the first calm night in recent days," it said.

In Rajasthan, a complete blackout was observed in the border districts on Sunday night, 11 May.

There were reports that some red lights, suspected to be of drones, were spotted in the sky in Barmer.

The district administration sent out an alert on X, "Incoming drone activity spotted. Please stay inside your houses and observe blackout: DM Barmer."

It, however, said no drone was shot down.

By Monday morning, an apparent sense of normalcy became palpable in the border districts with people gathering at tea stalls and shops and bantering.

Jalam Singh, a Jaisalmer local, said, "Things appear to be back to normal now. Last night was peaceful."

India and Pakistan on Saturday, 10 May, reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. Another round of talks have taken place between the respective DGMOs (director generals of military operations) earlier this evening at 5 p.m.

With PTI input