Unlike Londi villagers, for whom harvesting seems a distant proposition, people here have returned to their fields following a fragile ceasefire agreement between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistani Rangers on Sunday. There has been no firing since then, but the lurking danger becomes all too obvious when Rangers, on spotting a team of journalists near the Zero Line, raise the alarming red flag and blow whistles frenetically. ``Run to safety. They will fire at you,'' warns a BSF officer.

But that never happened. ``They must have been panicked to see so many people converge near the Zero Line, but must have realised later that there was no threat from our side,''explains the Commandant of 123 Battalion of BSF, MS Malik. The villagers again start there march to the fields as Rangers now wave a white flag. The villagers are ecstatic to be back in the fields at last. ``The harvest season started some time back and we actually got a chance to go to the fields without fear from Monday,'' says Numberdar of Dagh Chaini village, Gyan Chand. But apprehension is still writ large on the faces of the villagers for the `enemy' is known for violating the agreement.

``On earlier occasions too, they have agreed to a ceasefire, but have violated it every time,'' fears another villager Bala Ram. However, unmindful of the eccentricity of Pakistan Rangers, the villagers are carrying out the harvest in full swing. ``We have suffered huge losses due to delay in sowing and subsequent harvest. Now, we just want to cash in on this peace even if it is fragile,'' adds Bala Ram.

After all, the villagers are aware of the hardships being faced by the villagers of Londi and other bordervillages where incessant firing by the Rangers have ensured no harvest. ``At least here we have not been forced to flee from our houses and leave behind everything,'' feels Chand.

The BSF officials are hopeful that the ceasefire would hold till harvesting is over. ``At the Sunday's flag meeting, Company Commanders on both sides agreed that there would be no firing till the harvest is over,'' says a confident Commandant. But the catch is that the farmers on the Pakistani side would need only a week's time to complete the harvest and for the Indian farmers who are behind schedule the harvesting would be over in about a month's time.

``There is a probability that once the harvesting on their side is complete, they would resort to firing again,'' fears Dev Raj. But the Pakistani firing (prior to Sunday) has already ensured lot of hardships for the villagers. For them, getting cheap labour for help in the fields has become difficult. ``My two sons are in the Army and I am alone to carry out the harvest forwhich I need labour. But Pakistan firing has created fear psychosis in the minds of the labourers who refuse to work in the fields here,'' laments Ghyan Chand.

Obviously, life here continues to move under enemy's shadow. And as darkness creeps in with sunset, the villagers hurry on their way back wondering whether the sunrise would bring them back to work on the fields.

Civilians injured in Pak firing

JAMMU: Four people were injured in renewed shelling by Pakistani troops in Kargil town of Frontier Ladakh region today, a defence spokesman said here. The Pakistani troops continued to target Kargil town and its adjoining areas with mortar fire and shells, the spokesman said. Four civilians were injured in Idgah area of the town, he said, adding Indian troops also retaliated effectively. While Indian troops destroyed one Pakistani bunker at Siachen glacier last evening, two Indian bunkers were damaged in Batallick area of Kargil district during the exchange of firing, he said. Heavy firingexchanges between two sides were continuing in Tangdhar area of Kashmir valley. Details of any casualties or damage to property in the latest firing and shelling were awaited, he said.