Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 1: Over 12,000 people from all forward villages falling between Pallanwalla and Khour sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Akhnoor tehsil migrated to safer locations this morning following heavy mortar shelling and firing by the Pakistan Army overnight.
The border dwellers from over dozen forward villages including Pallanwalla started migration in the wee hours of this morning after Pakistan army resorted to heavy mortar shelling and firing ad Darkoot, Palatan, Channi Dewano and surrounding villages for four hours between 3.30 am to 7.30 am today.
Official reports said Pakistan Army initially resorted to firing with automatic weapons and later fired 82mm mortar shells targeting forward posts of the Army and civilian areas. Several mortar shells fell close to the civilian population. The Indian side retaliated. The exchange of gunfight ceased at 7.30 am.
On the intervening night of September 29 and 30 also, Pakistan had violated ceasefire in Pallanwalla sector.
Soon after the firing and shelling stopped, people in nearly dozen forward villages falling between Pallanwalla and Khour on the LoC started packing up their goods and migrated towards safer areas. The migration continued during the entire day.
The forward villages from where the migration took place included Pallanwalla, Hamirpur, Gigriyal, Kudwal, Gararh, Sainth, Panjtoot, Palatan, Bardoh and Pakhar apart from their surroundings.
While some of the people left for their own houses in safer areas or the houses of their relatives, others took shelter in five camps set up by the administration including Government Higher Secon-dary School Khour, Govern-ment Higher Secondary School Kharah, Radha Swami Satsang Ghar Khour, Radha Swami Satsang Ghar Panyali and Community Hall Chak Mallal.
BJP MP Shamsher Singh, BJP MLA from Chhamb Dr Krishan Lal, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Devender Pal Bhagat and SHO Khour Inspector Ravinder Singh Rakwal visited the migrant camps to ensure facilities for the people.
Sources said the administration was in the process of identifying more camps for the migrants if there was more migration from forward areas.
However, according to reports, no casualties, (fatal or non-fatal), was reported from the Indian side during heavy shelling and firing. Also, there was no major damage to houses or cattle shed of the people.
Meanwhile, situation in the border villages of Jammu, Samba and Kathua remained tense though no major fresh migration was reported today. In Paharpur village of Hiranagar sector, about 100 people shifted to Government Kanachak High School.
About 300 villagers from forward area of Chan Lal Din in Hiranagar sector migrated to Khanpur tonight, sources said.
In several other border villages, the people continued to take shelter in safer areas including houses of their relatives or the Government accommodation identified for them by the civil administration.
However, in majority of villages along the International Border, the people stayed put in their houses, undeterred by the tension along the borders.
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