Strikes across LoC: Punjab border area evacuation on; 1,000 villages affected

With the Indian army conducted surgical strikes on terror launchpads along Line of Control (LoC), resulting in significant casualties, on Thursday, Punjab villages near the internation border (IB) have been told to evacuate, an official from the district administration confirmed to Hindustan Times.

Nearly 1,000 villages in six districts of the state are being evacuated partially or fully.

Amritsar DC Varun Roojam conducted a meeting to discuss further plan of action following orders of the evacuation within a 10 km radius from the IB.

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Messages have been conveyed to village sarpanches and local officers to start the evacuation process as soon as possible.

Border Security Force (BSF) has put the IB on further alert after the surgical strikes. Along with deployment of more forces along the border, the BSF has restricted movement for the evening retreat ceremony.

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In Pathankot, border evacuation was scheduled to start as transportation was being sent to border villages. The evacuated people would be lodged at gurdwaras and banquet halls.

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed the chief secretary and director general of police to ask the deputy commissioners (DCs) and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) to oversee the entire evacuation process in the six border districts of Ferozepur, Fazilka, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.

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