Residents along LoC in J-K demand 'individual bunkers' as Rajnath Singh meets them in Nowshera

Under the garb of heavy firing and shelling from across the border, citizens who have been uprooted from their homes along the Line of Control (LoC) and living in schools-turned-camp demanded setting up of "individual bunkers" at their residences near the LoC as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached out to them in Nowshera.

Over 5,000 people living in 23 hamlets along the LoC were forced to shun homes and hearths in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district following heavy firing and shelling four months ago.

Four civilians were killed and five others were injured while over 100 cattle perished and 40 houses damaged in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in different sectors of Rajouri in the recent past.

"Our first and foremost demand is that government should set up individual bunkers in each of the border house, if we have to live again along the LoC. This is most and first demand of the LoC people," Jangarh resident Prashtom Kumar said. Nowshera MLA Ravinder Raina also supported their demand and said a chunk of land should be provided to the LoC dwellers to build safe places.

"I appreciate Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reaching out to the LoC migrants in Nowshera sector of Rajouri...The visit will, on one hand, boost the morale of security forces while the people living along the LoC will feel they have full backing from the state and the central governments," Raina said.

(With Inputs from PTI)