SRINAGAR, May 06: A year after the military escalation triggered by Operation Sindoor, residents along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir say a fragile calm has settled over their villages — allowing life to limp back to normal, even as the memory of last year’s fire and fury remains undimmed.
The LoC, which saw intense cross-border shelling in May last year following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent strikes, has remained largely peaceful in recent months. No major incident has been reported from key sectors including Uri, Karnah, Tangdhar and Gurez.
“For now, there is peace and we are thankful. Children are going to school. People are working in their fields,” said a resident of Uri, requesting anonymity. “But the fear of escalation is always there.”
Operation Sindoor was launched on the night of May 7-8, 2025, in response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. The ensuing escalation saw heavy artillery and mortar shelling along multiple LoC sectors until a ceasefire understanding was reached on May 10.
The shelling had forced several families to flee their homes. Residential areas were hit, and livelihoods were disrupted. While the situation has since stabilised, locals say the conflict’s shadow continues to shape daily existence.
“There is peace now, but we cannot forget what happened. Whenever there is any news about tensions, people become anxious,” Samad, a resident of Karnah, told Kashmir Convener.
In Tangdhar and Gurez, villagers speaking to Kashmir Convener said agricultural activities have resumed fully this season, with many returning to orchards and farmlands abandoned during the shelling. “This year, we are focusing on our crops again. Last year, everything stopped. Now at least we have some stability,” a group of farmers said.
But residents stress that peace alone is not enough. “Peace is important, but preparedness is also important. We still need bunkers and better facilities,” Aftab, a local from Gurez, said.
Officials said the situation along the LoC remains under close watch, with security forces maintaining vigilance while ensuring minimal disruption to civilian life. Locals said they hope the current calm holds. “We just want this peace to continue. People here have suffered a lot,” Adil, a resident of Boniyar, said.
‘We lost him in seconds. Everything ended that night’
Nearly a year after the intense cross-border shelling claimed around 20 civilian lives, families in Poonch, Rajouri and north Kashmir continue to live with a loss that time has not healed.
Among those killed was a daily wage labourer from Uri. “He had just returned home when the shelling started. We thought it would pass, but one shell hit near our house,” a family member named Rubeena said. “We lost him in seconds. Everything ended that night.”
In Poonch and Rajouri, where the shelling was among the heaviest, residents recall ordinary evenings turning into scenes of panic. “We were having dinner when explosions began. Children were crying, people were running,” said Muzaffar Hussain, a resident of Poonch who lost a relative. “By morning, we had lost him. There was nothing left to say.”
Officials have said at least 13 to 16 civilians were killed during the shelling, while locals maintain the toll was closer to 20 across different sectors. Dozens were injured, and several homes were damaged or destroyed.
For many families, the loss was not just emotional but also economic. “He was the only earning member. Now we are struggling to manage even basic needs,” said a woman in Karnah who lost her husband. “Compensation came, but it cannot replace a life.”
In Rajouri, another family said the memories return every time tensions rise. “Whenever we hear about firing anywhere, we get scared. It feels like that night is coming back,” a relative said.
Residents across Uri, Karnah and Tangdhar said the shelling left deep psychological scars, especially among children. “Children still get frightened by loud sounds. They remember everything,” a local said.
While calm has largely prevailed along the LoC in recent months, families of victims say peace remains incomplete without a sense of security and justice. “We do not want anyone else to go through this. Peace should stay, not break again,” said a resident in Boniyar.
As border villages slowly rebuild, the names of those lost remain part of daily conversations — quiet reminders of the cost of conflict borne by civilians living along the LoC.
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