Pahalgam aftermath: Villagers near LoC clean bunkers amid fear of escalation

Poonch, Apr 26 : Following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, tensions have heightened along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district, prompting border villagers to clean and prepare their underground bunkers amid rising fears of escalation.
Residents in villages located close to Pakistani military posts have started clearing out old underground bunkers and stocking up on emergency supplies as a precautionary measure.
Villagers, who had moved past the memories of cross-border firing in recent years, are now preparing for any potential escalation. Visuals show them storing blankets and beds inside the bunkers.
Speaking to ANI, a resident of a nearby village said, “The people had forgotten the bunkers. The bunkers are being cleaned again now. There is an atmosphere of fear, but we hope harmony will prevail in the valley.”
Another resident from the same village said, “We are with the government, we stand by them. We strongly condemn the terror attack, we are in support of our army and administration. Whenever they need us, we are ready to provide any possible support, even lay down our lives.”
“Earlier, there used to be firing incidents in this area. Our village is located near the LoC. We are cleaning the bunkers so that we can move our family to safety during such incidents. We are thankful to the central government for providing us with such bunkers,” he said.
Many of these bunkers, popularly referred to as “Modi bunkers” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, saw a major push for their construction, were built to protect civilians during periods of intense shelling across the LoC.
With fresh tensions, residents have begun refurbishing these shelters, which had fallen into disuse during recent years of relative calm.
Security forces in the region remain on high alert, and the administration has also asked civilians to stay vigilant.
The government has in the past provided financial assistance and technical support for the construction of individual and community bunkers in vulnerable areas, such as Poonch and Rajouri.
The incident in Pahalgam, which left security personnel and civilians dead, has heightened concerns about cross-border infiltration attempts and the potential for renewed hostilities along sensitive stretches of the border.
Despite the atmosphere of fear, villagers express hope that peace will prevail and that there will be no repeat of the violence that marked earlier years in the region.