Jammu, May 22 -- Frightened after the recent India-Pakistan conflict that left behind a trail of death and destruction, people in over half a dozen Poonch villages have constructed makeshift bunkers near their houses at their own expense.

Close to the Line of Control (LoC), Poonch was among the worst-hit areas in the recent cross-border shelling by Pakistan. South of Pir Panjal, it is vulnerable to shelling due to its geographical location and proximity to the de-facto border.

Without waiting for any government help, people in Dhara Dhulian, Krishna Ghati, Jhallas, Gulpur, Digwar, Shahpur and Guntrian villages have constructed bunkers, said 32-year-old Sachin Khajuria, a resident of Dhara Dhulian village, barely 3km from the de-facto bo...