09-05-2025
Daily blackouts & panic in J&K's Poonch city. ‘You never know when a shell will drop'
Poonch city remains caught in the crossfire between the Indian and Pakistani armies. Nearly 80 percent of the population has already moved. Shutters remain down, and properties lie damaged. Relentless shelling has taken 15 lives, including an Army personnel.
The residents, caught off guard, started closing their shops and rushing towards their homes. 'They have started early today. I came here to take my bike, my hard-earned bike. I do not want the shelling to damage it,' said Mohammad Shafqat, who rushed home on his prized bike.
Poonch: The fourth consecutive day of a blackout in Poonch city in Jammu province started with a siren, and then there was complete darkness. A pin-drop silence pervaded the city and its hills until a loud thud pierced the air. Then, the heavy shelling and artillery exchange began, earlier than expected, around 7 pm.
The shelling has been targeting the civilian infrastructure of Poonch city. 'This is the first time Pakistan has attacked Poonch city. Earlier, there would be attacks, but only at the border. Civilians in the city did not have to worry much,' said Abrar while closing his shop.
Two days ago, heavy shelling damaged a Gurdwara in Poonch. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Friday mentioned the Gurdwara twice in his briefing and also informed about the killing of Sikh civilians. Of the 15 people killed, there are Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus.
The blackout over the past four days has disrupted life in Poonch. Shops are shutting earlier, people are scrambling for safe corners, and children are not attending school.
According to local police, around 80 percent of residents have left Poonch city to seek refuge with relatives in different districts of Jammu province.
'The situation is quite precarious here. On a personal level, we are asking people to seek refuge with their relatives or friends,' said a J&K police officer, requesting anonymity.
Speaking on how the India-Pakistan tensions have deeply affected life in Poonch, the officer said, 'You never know when a shell will drop, when someone will fire a missile. With the sirens, we are only alerting people. It would be better to save your life and temporarily shift somewhere else.'
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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