Srinagar, Feb 26: Kashmir today woke up to the reality after remaining under tight grip of rumours that India and Pakistan may engage in war, rumours turned into a reality with Indian air force laughing a non military premptive strikes at Balakote area on the other side of fence.
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi claimed that it was a non military step in which Jaishe Muhammad camps were destroyed.
Accordimg to Kashmir Indepth, in Kashmir, rumour mills were ripe that something untoward was going to happen in the wake of suicide attack on the CRPF convoy at Lethpora resulting in the death of 40 CRPF men and injuries to two dozen others.
Kashmiris have been under tremendous level of fear since February 14 and rumours spilling over across the trouble-ravaged Valley. “Ever since the Lethpora attack took place, Kashmir is under tight grip of rumours. There is fear all over with people stocking essentials including medecines,” said Ibrahim Khan , resident of Lal Chowk.
He said that finally rumours turned true as Delhi launched air strike in Pakistan.
For many Kashmiris it was a night of fear as many jets were hovering and flying in the skies through out the night.
“I told my ailing mother in the dead of the night that war has perhaps started,” said Imtiaz Lone who lives closer to Srinagar airport. He said rumours never prove wrong when it comes to Kashmir.
The Srinagar administration has already announced extension in the winter break upto March 5 citing inclement weather as the reason.
Many elderly people in Kashmir feel that there can be a war if Pakistan response leads to casualties on Indian side. “Kashmir remains sandwiched between the two nuclear powers and that is the biggest reality,” said Abdul Rahman Dar, 78, who has seen 1971 war.
He said that ultimately war would result in loss of human lives on both sides and Kashmir would loose everything.
