“We didn’t sleep all night, not because we were awake, but because we were scared we wouldn’t wake up at all," said Zainab Bibi (62) from Rajouri, echoing the sentiments of scores of civilians living in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Following Operation Sindoor by Indian armed forces, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan in the wee hours of Wednesday, 7 May, at least 16 Indian civilians have been killed in cross-border shelling in several areas.
"The terror we face every night is unbearable. The sounds of explosions, the fear of shells hitting our homes, it has become a way of life for us now. I pray every day for the safety of my children, but I can’t protect them from the invisible enemy that lurks beyond our borders," Zainab said.
Since the launch of the operation on Wednesday, cross-border shelling at the LoC has left several villages gripped by such fears. While visuals of damaged homes and distressed civilians in hospitals continue to pour in, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district have designated nine public shelter camps with amenities for people wanting to relocate from villages hit by Pakistani shelling along the LoC.
Poonch Turns Into Battleground
Since the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April that killed 26 tourists, the situation has escalated dramatically.
Following the attack, India launched "Operation Sindoor," targeting nine sites in Pakistan and hitting terrorist infrastructure. In retaliation, Pakistan initiated heavy shelling along the LoC, leading to civilian casualties on both sides.
In Poonch, the shelling has been relentless, turning quiet nights into battlegrounds.
"Around 1:30 AM, we were jolted awake by a thunderous blast," said Mohammad Naseer, a resident of Shahpur. "A shell fired from across the border tore through the silence of the night and struck our roof. Bricks collapsed, smoke filled the room, and we could hear screams," Naseer said, his voice trembling.
"My niece, little Ruksana Kounsar, just 10 years old, was covered in blood, and there were wounds on her arm and head. We wrapped her in a shawl and rushed out, barefoot, calling for help. Even now, every loud noise makes her flinch," Naseer said.
Many Forced to Flee Violence-Hit Regions
The shelling has left a trail of devastation and forced many to flee.
As per reports, at least 16 people, including four children, have been killed, while 57 others have been injured on Wednesday in shelling by the Pakistani Army in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Our city is burning, but we are still proud that Indian forces gave a strong response to the terrorists," said a resident of Poonch, his voice filled with both pride and pain.
"But while we stand with our country, our homes and lives are now in danger. Pakistani forces have started targeting residential areas—our homes, our families. The shelling is relentless, and many of us have been forced to flee to the Mandi area, seeking whatever safety we can find," he said.
"We were only trying to sleep, but the explosions woke us up with a terror I can’t describe," said Sajad Ahmed, a father of three from Poonch.
"The shelling from across the border is like an endless nightmare. My children cry every time they hear a loud noise. They’re scared to sleep, scared to leave the house. The fear in their eyes breaks my heart. We’re just ordinary people, trying to live in peace, but now we are forced to live in constant fear," he said. "Every night, I lie awake, wondering if we’ll make it through another day without something terrible happening. The sounds of explosions have become so common, it feels like we can never escape it. I can’t protect my family from the fear that haunts us every single day," Ahmed added.
Shakeela Begum, a mother of two in Rajouri, shared a similar ordeal.
"My 8-year-old son hides under the bed every time he hears a loud sound. He asks me if he’s going to die. What answer can I give him? How do I explain to him that the world around us is so dangerous?" she said.
"We are just simple villagers. We don’t care about politics or who’s right or wrong. All we want is to live in peace, to raise our children without the constant fear of death. I want to protect my son, but how can I when we’re trapped in a war we didn’t start? All I wish for is for the shelling to stop, for my children to sleep without fear, and for us to live a life without this nightmare," Shakeela said.
But for most, leaving homes also means leaving livelihoods.
Ghulam Nabi (70) from Balnoi expressed the fears and dilemmas faced by many.
"Our whole life is here—our fields, our animals, our memories. This is all we’ve known. But how do you protect a lifetime of memories from a mortar shell? Every time the shelling starts, I wonder if this will be the day everything we’ve built will be destroyed. Our home, our land, everything we hold dear—it all feels so fragile. I’ve worked my entire life to build something here, to create a future for my children. But now, I fear that the very ground we’ve tilled will be turned to dust," he said.