Panic grips Punjab's border residents

AMRITSAR/FEROZEPUR: Panic gripped the residents of villages in many border districts of Punjab today after reports of escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan spread, following a surgical strike by the army on terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Authorities have also began evacuating people residing in the villages falling within 10 kilometre of international border. Heads of local gurdwaras, temples with the help of Sarpanches have asked the people to evacuate at the earliest in the light of escalating situation.

Border Security Force (BSF) has put international border on further alert after the Indian Army's surgical strike.

Punjab shares 553-km border with Pakistan. It has six districts which lie close to international border. There are some 135 villages which lie very close to the IB.

Inhabitants of border villages in Amritsar district like Rasoolpur, Bhania, Doekey, Bheropal, Hardo Rattan, Dhariwal Udhar, Dhaoney, Rajatal, Mahawa, Bachiwnd, Shahura, Kiralgarh, Chak Allahbaksh, Kakar Rania, Ajnala, Ramdas have already begun evacuation on mass level and taking shelter in gurdwaras and other places.

Similar situation prevailed in border villages Patti, Khemkaran, Gazal, Khalra, Nausher Dhalla, Mehndipur, Ratokey, Chhina, Muthiawall, which fall in Amritsar's adjoining district Tarn Taran.

Due to escalating situation, long queues could be seen at all the petrol pumps as people feared that situation could take any turn and could be seen filling vehicles including the commercial vehicles used for agriculture purposes.

Emergency wing of Pathankot Civil hospital has been vacated and patients undergoing treatment have been shifted to other wards.

"Eight beds will remain vacant for any war-like emergency," Pathankot's Senior Medical Officer, Dr Bhupinder Singh said.

He also said that the staff has been asked to remain on duty and leaves have been cancelled.

Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee President Avtar Singh Makkar directed the heads of all the Gurdwaras in villages to accommodate the people who were leaving their houses due to escalating situation.

Makkar also said that affected people must be accommodated with food and accommodation.

Virsa Singh Valthoa, SAD MLA from border constituency of Valthoa, said there was no army deployment in the border villages though there was heavy deployment of BSF.

He said that temporary camps in the village gurdwaras were also set up with arrangements of food and other basic facilities.