NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — Intense cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces killed at least 15 civilians and injured 43 others in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian defense officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The artillery and mortar shelling, which began around 2 a.m. on May 7, targeted several densely populated villages across the Line of Control (LoC), with Poonch and Tangdhar among the worst hit. According to ANI and PTI, dozens of homes were destroyed, vehicles torched, and public infrastructure left in ruins, prompting widespread panic and mass evacuations in the region.
Among the casualties were several children, including 10-year-old Mohd Zain Khan and 12-year-old Zoya Khan. The dead also included women and elderly residents, with most fatalities recorded in the Poonch district. “It was like a war zone with the injured screaming for help,” resident Mohd Zahid told PTI. “The damage could be seen everywhere.”
The shelling follows India’s launch of Operation Sindoor, a series of targeted missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-administed Kashmir (PK). The operation was conducted in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. According to defense sources cited by ANI, the Indian Air Force struck terror bases affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, including locations in Bahawalpur, a known militant stronghold.
Shortly after these precision strikes, Pakistani forces began what Indian officials described as “arbitrary” and “barbaric” artillery fire, targeting civilian areas rather than military installations. “Targeting unarmed civilians is not bravery. It is a cowardly act,” a senior police officer told PTI.
In response, the Indian Army launched counter-offensives, destroying several Pakistani posts and reportedly inflicting significant casualties. “The Indian Army is responding in a proportionate and calibrated manner,” said a spokesperson from the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) on X.
Widespread damage was reported across the border belt, including in Balakote, Mendhar, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, and Kerni. Mortar shells even struck a bus stand in Mendhar, while multiple homes in the Karnah sector caught fire due to the intensity of the bombardment. Local officials confirmed that many of the injured remain in critical condition, straining emergency services in the region.
The violence also led to the closure of all schools and colleges in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch districts, as per an announcement by Jammu’s Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar. Kashmir University postponed all scheduled exams for the day.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs held nationwide civil defense mock drills, including scheduled blackouts in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, and Jaipur, to test emergency preparedness. Notably, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Raj Bhavan participated in the drill, coinciding with the real-world emergency in Kashmir.
Political leaders across party lines condemned the attacks. Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal decried the shelling of the Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch, which killed three Sikh devotees. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann echoed the sentiment, calling the attacks on civilians “utterly wrong” and offering condolences to the victims’ families.
Ceasefire violations along the LoC have significantly decreased since the 2021 reaffirmation of the 2003 truce agreement. However, this week marked the 13th consecutive night of cross-border fire since India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam attack.
