Stay safe, don’t return to border villages yet, says Jammu and Kashmir police

 Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked border villages residents, who were evacuated to safer places in view of cross border shelling by Pakistan, not to rush back to homes as they are yet to sanitize and clear these areas of any unexplored shells

Srinagar: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked border villages residents, who were evacuated to safer places in view of cross border shelling by Pakistan, not to rush back to homes as they are yet to sanitize and clear these areas of any unexplored shells.

More than 1.25 lakh residents of villages close to Line of Control in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts were evacuated to safer places as their habitations were at a very high risk of being targeted in Pakistani shelling.

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“Do not return to frontline villages. Lives are at risk as unexplored munitions remain (scattered) after Pakistani shelling,” an advisory issued by the police said.

Bomb disposal squads will be sent to affected areas to sanitize and clear the villages of any unexplored shells which can lead to loss of human lives, it said.

“As many as 41 lives were lost in explosions of leftover shells near the LoC in 2023 alone,” the advisory read, highlighting the dangers of civilians rushing back to villages.

The Poonch district accounted for the highest 18 of the total 25 fatalities with over 50 others injured since Wednesday, shortly after India carried out Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and PoK to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead.

India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. However, hours later New Delhi accused Islamabad of breaching it.

In a late night media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with “seriousness and responsibility”.