Kashmiri families flee as India, Pakistan exchange fire

It has been a year since Pooja Devi and her family left the bordering village R.S Pura in the Jammu region of Indian controlled Kashmir in order to safeguard their lives.
Poojas family has rice fields on the border between India and Pakistan, but since the two countries fenced the border it has become far difficult for the agriculture dependent families to earn a living. For the past couple of weeks skirmishes have once again started damaging lives and property on both sides. Over 5000 people living near the zero line in Jammu region have been evacuated to safer places. According to official reports, Pakistani forces have targeted 40 border posts and over 20 villages during 16 ceasefire violations in the past 2 weeks. Indian security officials said the latest violations of the 2003 ceasefire between India and Pakistan marked the heaviest and most indiscriminate firing by the Pakistan Rangers along the border in Jammu region this year. Since India and Pakistan agreed on the truce in 2003, people near the Line of Control have lived peacefully. But frequent skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops this year have frightened the villagers at a time when BJP is ruling the Indian government. They fear a return of the pre-ceasefire era.