At least 13 people, including four children and a soldier, were killed and 57 others injured in one of the most intense episodes of cross-border shelling in recent years, as the Pakistan Army targeted forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The heavy artillery and mortar shelling came in the wake of Operation Sindoor across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), officials said.
The worst-hit areas included the Poonch and Rajouri districts in Jammu, as well as Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir. Hundreds of residents fled their homes, taking shelter in underground bunkers or relocating to safer areas as Pakistani shells struck civilian infrastructure, damaging homes, vehicles, and buildings—including a Gurdwara in Poonch town.
Officials reported that the Indian Army responded “in a befitting manner,” destroying several enemy posts and inflicting significant casualties on the Pakistani side.
This marks the most severe ceasefire violation since the renewal of the truce agreement between India and Pakistan on 25 February 2021.
All 13 fatalities occurred in Poonch district, which also saw 42 people injured—two of whom are in critical condition. Shelling was reported from multiple areas along the LoC, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni, and even Poonch town itself. The onslaught persisted until noon before tapering into intermittent fire focused mainly on the Poonch sector.
Evacuation efforts were hampered by ongoing shelling, which also damaged the Poonch bus stand and several buses. Among the dead were three Sikh men killed when an artillery shell hit the Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib and neighbouring houses in Poonch. Political leaders from Punjab strongly condemned the attack.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a post on X, wrote: “Strongly condemn the inhuman attack by Pakistani forces on the sacred Central Gurdwara… in which three innocent Gursikhs, including Bhai Amrik Singh Ji, Bhai Amarjeet Singh, and Bhai Ranjit Singh, lost their lives.”
Elsewhere, 10 people, including five children, were injured in cross-border shelling in the Uri sector of Baramulla district. Three more were injured in Rajouri, and several homes caught fire in the Karnah sector of Kupwara.
The deceased were identified as Balvinder Kour alias “Ruby” (33), Mohd Zain Khan (10), Zoya Khan (12), Mohd Akram (40), Amrik Singh (55), Mohd Iqbal (45), Ranjeet Singh (48), Shakeela Bi (40), Amarjeet Singh (47), Maryam Khatoon (7), Vihaan Bhargav (13), Mohd Rafi (40), and an Army Lance Naik.
Also Read: Operation Sindoor: India carries out military strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan, PoK
Wednesday marked the 13th consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the LoC, amid heightened tensions following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, which left 26 civilians dead.
According to a defence spokesperson, the Pakistani Army began indiscriminate firing and artillery shelling during the night of 6–7 May from posts along the LoC and the International Border. Indian forces, he added, are responding in a “proportionate manner,” with sources confirming that several Pakistani posts were destroyed in retaliation.
As a precaution, all educational institutions in five border districts of Jammu were shut on Wednesday.
Despite a significant reduction in cross-border firing since the 2021 ceasefire pact, this latest escalation has sparked fears of a prolonged conflict.
In a show of solidarity, Congress MLA from Rajouri, Iftkhar Ahmed, visited the injured at Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital and donated blood alongside supporters. He urged others to do the same, saying, “We are ready to sacrifice everything for the integrity and sovereignty of the nation. The nation comes first, and we must stand united in the face of such challenges.”
GMC Rajouri Principal Amarjeet Singh Bhatia said the hospital was fully prepared to handle the surge in casualties, with all necessary arrangements in place.
Authorities in Poonch have set up nine public shelter camps for residents choosing to relocate from forward villages. “Although our village hasn’t seen direct shelling, we’ve been advised to move to ITI College in R S Pura, where the government has made proper lodging arrangements,” said Liaqat Ali, a resident of Jorian village near the International Border. He added that the village had suffered devastating losses in past attacks as well.
The current escalation began shortly after Indian armed forces launched missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK to avenge the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
(With inputs from PTI)
