‘Wage decisive battle’: What does Udhampur think of the ceasefire?

Despite the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Udhampur witnessed a series of drone attacks from across the border on the night of May 10. But why was Udhampur targeted? And what do locals think about it all? 

“Aar paar ki ladai ki jaaye (a decisive battle should be waged),” says Sanjeev Kumar, a local.  

“The ceasefire was announced, yes, but the decision came without any public consultation. Opposition leaders should have been involved in the discussion. It was a rushed move, brokered by a third country – and that’s not right. Is India so weak now that it needs outside mediation? What’s done is done, but eventually there will be a formal document – and the conditions in that will be what really matter,” says Ajay Gupta, another local.

“Ladai se kuch haasil nahin hoga (nothing will be achieved through war),” says Suman Lata, another resident. Suman recalls that although the ceasefire had been announced, Pakistan opened fire later that night.

“We were so happy. The children had started going out to play again. We thought the blackouts were finally over. We were at our shop when the kids called to say a ceasefire had been declared. My husband even went back to work, thinking things had calmed down. But then, suddenly, firing began again at night. A lot of it. It felt like anything could happen.”

Newslaundry and The News Minute hit the ground to find out.

Watch.

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