Jammu: In a tragic escalation of cross-border violence, a senior Jammu and Kashmir government officer, Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa, was killed after Pakistani shelling struck his residence in Rajouri early this morning. The attack, part of a broader assault on civilian areas in Jammu and other parts of the Union Territory, has triggered widespread grief and condemnation.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep sorrow, revealing that Mr Thappa had attended an online meeting with him just hours before his untimely death. “Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J& K Administration Services… Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling… I’ve no words to express my shock and sadness at this terrible loss of life,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.
BJP leader Ravinder Raina also mourned the loss, calling Mr Thappa a “daring and people-friendly officer” who served the nation with “utmost sincerity.”
The fatal shelling comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor — a targeted Indian Air Force operation in which precision strikes were carried out on nine terror bases affiliated with Pakistan-based militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. These organisations, both banned internationally, have a long history of orchestrating terror attacks on Indian soil.
India clarified that the strikes were focused solely on militant infrastructure and avoided military or civilian targets. However, Pakistan has responded with aggressive shelling of residential zones, drone attacks, and bombardment of places of worship across multiple Indian states and Union Territories, from Jammu and Kashmir to Rajasthan.
Disturbing visuals from affected neighbourhoods in Jammu show damaged homes and vehicles, with sirens frequently sounding as India’s air defence systems intercept incoming drones and missiles. A Defence Ministry statement confirmed sightings of armed drones at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control, including sensitive areas such as Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, and Barmer.
In one such drone attack, a civilian area in Ferozpur was hit, injuring members of a local family. Security forces swiftly secured and sanitised the area, while the injured received medical treatment.
The Defence Ministry assured that the Indian Armed Forces are on high alert, tracking aerial threats and deploying counter-drone systems to neutralise potential dangers. Citizens in border regions have been urged to stay indoors and strictly follow safety advisories issued by authorities.
While the situation remains tense, Indian forces continue to respond firmly, reportedly neutralising key defence targets on the Pakistani side.
