Khan Zahid, a PhD student in Political Science at a state-aided university in Calcutta, has been stranded in Srinagar, since May 6, 2025, unable to reach his parents in Tangdhar, Kupwara district in Jammu Kashmir.
Suspended motor travel caused by India-Pakistan military tensions in such border districts has made any kind of mobility difficult.
The 200 km journey to his village, located near the border, typically takes a day, but such ongoing restrictions have left him stranded in rented accommodation in Srinagar, reported Telegraph India, on Monday, May 12.
Parent's plight living in a bunker
Zahid told Telegraph India that his elderly parents live in a village close to the Pakistan border. Describing his parent's ordeal, he said that they seek refuge every night in a three-meter-tall bunker built in 2019 to protect against Pakistani shelling and drone attacks.
The bunker additionally shelters around 50 villagers of the community.
Despite a ceasefire announced on May 10, villagers, including Zahid’s parents, continued to use the bunker due to lingering fears, especially after reports of Pakistani drone attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Gujarat that evening.
Challenges faced by these Pahari communities
These local Pahari communities, already marginalised, are facing extreme hardship amid the conflict. Zahid told Telegraph India that they are willing to relocate to other areas, unwilling to abandon their livestock or navigate the rugged terrain at their age.
Zahid is now torn by his inability to reach his parents, frequently calling to offer emotional support. The closure of Srinagar airport further complicates his potential return to Calcutta, though he has no intention of leaving while his parents remain in danger.
Expressing anguish over the situation, he stated that he desires to stay with his parents in order to provide comfort during this crisis, hoping that soon vehicular movements will be allowed again in the union territory.
