MANDELAH, LOC (PAK): December 13. It was a usual Friday afternoon. The men of Mandelah left for the Juma prayers around 1.30 PM in a neighbouring village. Within minutes of their departure, the calm of this sleepy hamlet along the Line of Control (LOC) was broken by gunfire, gripping the women and children with panic.
Amidst the chaos, some of them began to flee thinking that the Indian Army had targeted the village. Panic spread in the next few days after some videos posted on social media claimed that Indian soldiers had entered the village and two of them were injured in retaliatory firing by the locals.
However, a week later, the villagers say the stories were unfounded. Some men from the neighbouring village of Dharmsal had come and fired the shots. Though local accounts are divided on some Indian soldiers being spotted near the village, they all debunked the claim of soldiers being injured.
Videos & Claims
A slew of videos shot by locals who remain unidentified went viral on social media including WhatsApp and TikTok. Many of these stated that 25 to 30 Indian soldiers crossed the Line of Control (LoC) near Mandelah village in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PAK).
The claim suggested that these soldiers entered a villager’s home, threatened residents to evacuate, and were shot at by locals, leaving two soldiers injured. However, an investigation on the ground revealed that this may have been a case of a false narrative, triggering panic and fueling tensions.
While officials have already called the videos in circulation as distortions and unsubstantiated, villagers in Mandelah said that the claims made in the videos were misleading. However, some mentioned that Indian soldiers were spotted near the village.
Mandelah Village Location
Mandelah village is located just 200 to 250 yards from Indian military posts on the hills, across the Poonch River, on the Pakistani side of the LoC. The village is connected to Madarpur near Hajira town by a bridge and is surrounded by Pakistani military posts on both sides.
Two to four Pakistani soldiers are stationed at these outposts along the LoC, making small breaches possible. But locals say, it is highly unlikely that a significant military presence could have breached the line and gone unnoticed.
Given the strategic importance of this area, the claim that a large group of Indian soldiers could cross the LoC and enter a villager’s home without detection is highly implausible. Such an event would have likely been noticed by either the Pakistani military or local residents.
Eyewitness Testimonies and Inconsistent Accounts
Villagers’ testimonies contradict the sensationalized claims.
One 60-year-old villager, whose house (as claimed in the videos) was entered by the Indian soldiers, told, “All the men had gone to Friday prayers around 1 or 1:30 PM. Some firing took place and the women left their homes out of fear.”
“The news about soldiers entering the houses is false,” he said, and added, “they were seen close to the village. There was one boy who informed the Pakistani army, but by the time they arrived, the Indian soldiers had already left.”
He added, “We heard about gunfire, but the people who reportedly fired were not from our village. They came from Dharmsal village where they were offering Friday prayers, and after hearing what was happening, they came with their Kalashnikovs and fired.”
The villager questioned, “They claimed that three soldiers were wounded, but we never saw any wounded soldiers or saw any soldiers returning. If soldiers had been injured, why didn’t they return fire?”
Women in the house, who did not wish to speak on camera, confirmed the story. They mentioned hearing gunfire and fleeing their homes in panic, assuming the army was coming.
However, they didn’t verify whether Indian soldiers were actually approaching. “We didn’t see any soldiers or wounded personnel,” they said. They also said that they didn’t know who fired.
A young man from the village said, “No Indian soldiers entered the village. A few people from Dharmsal village, carrying 12-bore rifles, fired shots. People mistakenly thought it was the Indian army.”
None of the other villagers could confirm seeing soldiers or anyone who fired the shots. But some said that they knew the people who claimed to have fired gunshots. Given the time it would have taken for the soldiers to arrive, engage in a confrontation, and leave, it seems highly unlikely that no one would have noticed.
Interestingly, a video taken that day showed monkeys descending from the forests toward the village. Some speculated that villagers may have fired shots with 12 bore rifles to scare off the animals, further raising doubts about the gunfire claims.
‘Injured Soldiers’ Narrative
The viral videos claim that villagers fired on the Indian soldiers, injuring two or three of them and forcing a retreat.
However, there is no evidence to support this. If gunfire had occurred, the Indian military would likely have reported it. The idea that soldiers could have been injured and then dragged 200 to 250 yards uphill without being noticed by either the Pakistani forces or villagers is difficult to believe, says villagers.
Additionally, there was no sign of retaliation or military alerts, which would have been expected in such a sensitive area.
The claims grew even more bizarre, suggesting that Indian soldiers stayed in the village for hours—between 1 AM and 3 AM—without detection.
Given the constant surveillance by Pakistani military posts in the region, this seems highly improbable. Any unusual movement would have immediately raised suspicion.
No reports from the Pakistani military or local population have substantiated these claims, which further casts doubt on their credibility.
Timing of the Incident
The incident took place on a Friday, when many male villagers were away for prayers. Only women and children remained in the village. They panicked after hearing gunfire. None of the villagers saw Indian soldiers.
The authorities refuted the claims made in the video and maintained that these were orchestrated by “anti-state elements” with ulterior motives to create chaos and confusion among the people.
Historical Context
Jammu and Kashmir has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, with both countries fighting wars in 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Since 1988, there have been frequent skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani forces along the LoC.
Thousands of civilians along the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have been casualties of Indian shelling and gunfire.
However, in 2003, both countries agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC. While relative calm was maintained for a decade, periodic clashes resumed thereafter and witnessed a spike after 2013.
A major shift took place in 2021 when both sides agreed to fully uphold the ceasefire. Since then, relative peace has prevailed along the LoC.
Mandelah village has faced mortar and small-arms fire over the years but, remarkably, no fatalities have been reported. The village was evacuated during the 1971 war, and its residents returned in 1976. Since then, despite decades of conflict, they have remained in their village.
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