Srinagar, May 14 -- The recent escalation of hostilities, marked by Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, and subsequent retaliatory attacks by Pakistan, has once again brought the plight of border residents into sharp focus. The cross-border shelling and drone strikes have not only claimed at least 19 civilian lives but also displaced thousands, exposing the vulnerabilities of those living along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB). While a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has momentarily halted the violence, the scars left on the affected communities are deep and enduring. Villagers returning to their homes in areas like Poonch, Uri, Rajouri, and Kathua find their dwellings destroyed and livelihoods disrupted. Many lament the ...