Tangdar residents now at ease after border infiltration declines in Kashmir

Tangdar (Jammu and Kashmir), Sep.9 (ANI): Residents of Tangdar village near the Line of Control are happy to hear that there has been a decline in cross- border infiltration by militants.

Residents creditted the Indian Army for preventing infiltration.

Recalling the horrific days when their lives were marred by militant violence and fear, one resident, Mohammade Rafiq, said: "There was a lot of firing in which our cattle used to die and it became very difficult for us to come out our houses. When militants infiltrated there was a lot of firing and shelling because of which we used to incur huge losses."

He said peace was being established in the area and civilians were able to work fearlessly because of the help provided by the Indian Army.

Mohammad Ashraf, a shepherd, aired similar views.

"The peace here is wonderful sir, we can roam around at night or go cut grass at the LOC (Line of Control) as we have our land there. Earlier, they did not allow us to go there to cut grass as militants used to use that passage but now it is not the same. We can now cut the grass comfortably and most of our problems have been resolved," said Ashraf.

Kashmir has been at the core of the acrimonious relationship between India and Pakistan over the past six decades with the nuclear-armed neighbours having fought two of their three wars since 1947 over the disputed territory.

Nearly 50,000 people have been killed in Indian Kashmir since the commencement of insurgency in the late 1980s that India says is sponsored by Pakistan. (ANI)