Srinagar: In a major escalation along the Line of Control (LoC), seven civilians, including a woman and two children, lost their lives while 38 others were injured in heavy mortar and artillery shelling by the Pakistan Army on Wednesday. The shelling targeted several forward villages in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting urgent evacuation efforts by the administration.
The worst-hit area was Poonch district, where all seven fatalities were reported. Officials said 25 people were injured in the district alone. In Baramulla’s Uri sector, 10 civilians sustained injuries, while three more were injured in Rajouri district.
The shelling follows India’s overnight missile strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’, which targeted nine terror infrastructure locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. The Indian Ministry of Defence confirmed that these precision strikes, carried out around 1:44 a.m., avoided military targets and did not breach Pakistani airspace.
In retaliation, Pakistani forces began shelling in multiple sectors — including Uri and Kupwara in the Kashmir Valley and Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu division — resulting in significant civilian casualties and damage.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha convened a high-level meeting with top officials, including district commissioners of border districts, to assess the situation and coordinate relief measures.
Taking to social media platform X, the L-G stated, *”Took stock of the situation in border districts of J\&K UT with all senior administrative, police & district officials. I’m closely monitoring the situation. The government is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality. I’ve also directed the DCs for shifting villagers from vulnerable areas to safer locations and ensuring boarding, lodging, food, medicare and transportation. We will ensure the safety of every citizen.”*
As a precautionary measure, all civilian flights at Srinagar airport have been suspended, and educational institutions have been shut down in three districts of Kashmir and five districts of Jammu.
The Indian Army continues to respond firmly to Pakistan’s ceasefire violations, with officials stressing that the situation remains tense but under control.
