J-K: Normalcy returns to Rajouri border after shelling, locals hope for lasting peace

RAJOURI: Following the understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan on May 10, life is gradually returning to normal in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Although caution and fear persist, locals have started reopening shops and resuming daily routines.

Residents of Rajouri, who faced immense hardships due to intense cross-border shelling, are slowly stepping back into everyday life.

Neeras Sin, a local hotel worker, said, “When the shelling started, we closed our shops and went home. Even now, we shut shops by 4 or 5 pm and return early in the morning. Earlier, we used to open around noon, and customers would come in regularly, but footfall is still very low.”

He added that although there is some activity in the market, a sense of fear continues to linger. “Schools and madrasas are still closed. Children have been sent back from the madrasas. The market is not yet back to normal,” he said.

Another resident, Khalilur Rahman, mentioned that while the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan has brought some relief, uncertainty still lingers. “Shops have opened, and essential goods are being bought, but people are still scared. There’s hope that if the atmosphere remains peaceful, normalcy will fully return.”

He further added that while the situation has improved, financial strain is a major concern. “Middle-class families who earn and eat daily are struggling. For such people, this kind of instability is very difficult. “In times of shelling, everything collapses. For people who earn during the day and eat at night, survival becomes very hard,” he added.

An 85-year-old resident from the border area of Rajouri shared his emotional appeal for peace. “I have lived through the wars of 1947, 1965, and 1971, but I’ve never seen such terrifying shelling in my lifetime. We just want to live without fear. People have started opening their shops again, but the fear still lingers in our hearts. Labourers have left, work is halted, and children are unable to attend school. Only peace can bring life back to normal here,” he said.

Meanwhile, work remains at a standstill in construction zones. Ravid Ahmed, who works for a company involved in road and bridge construction, told ANI, “When shelling started, workers left. Labourers from outside, including Bihar, haven’t returned yet. Work on the canal bridge is still suspended.”

He added that although only a few shells landed in the area, fear pushed many to leave. “I had gone home too. I’ve returned, but the labourers haven’t. Until they come back, work can’t restart.”

Operation Sindoor was India’s decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor led to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres, and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan.

After this, on May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced. (ANI)