Jammu/Srinagar, May 7: In a major escalation of hostilities, the Pakistan Army launched a series of intense and indiscriminate artillery and mortar shelling attacks across forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, killing at least nine civilians and injuring 41 others, including women and children.
The shelling erupted just hours after Indian Armed Forces executed ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting nine key terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead.
According to official sources, the worst affected area was Poonch district, where all civilian deaths were reported. Among the deceased were several members of the same families, including children aged 10 and 12. The victims 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), and Amarjeet Singh (47).
Officials said the Indian Army responded with calibrated and proportionate firepower, successfully targeting and neutralizing multiple enemy posts responsible for the shelling, resulting in significant Pakistani casualties. Army sources confirmed that retaliatory strikes destroyed several Pakistani positions actively engaged in cross-border attacks.
Panic and fear gripped border residents, particularly in Poonch, Mendhar, Balakote, Krishna Ghati, Mankote, Gulpur, and Kerni areas, where the shelling caused widespread damage to residential houses and infrastructure. Civilians fled to underground bunkers or were evacuated to safer zones to escape the relentless bombardment.
Elsewhere, ten civilians, including five minor children, were injured in the Uri sector of Baramulla district, while three people were wounded in Rajouri, and several houses caught fire in the Karnah sector of Kupwara district due to ongoing shelling.
A defence spokesperson confirmed that the Pakistan Army began arbitrary artillery fire during the intervening night of May 6 and 7, violating the ceasefire agreement of February 2021. In response, Indian forces have been engaging the attackers with “measured and proportionate” force.
The firing, which continues in some sectors such as Poonch, marks the 13th consecutive night of ceasefire violations by Pakistan. This latest act of aggression has triggered strong condemnation, with observers calling it an attempt to escalate tensions and divert attention from terror infrastructure thriving across the border.
In view of the volatile situation, all educational institutions across five border districts—Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch—were ordered shut for the day as a precautionary measure. “In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges and educational institutions in border areas will remain closed today,” posted Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar on X.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) posted: “Pakistan again violates the Ceasefire Agreement by firing artillery in Bhimber Gali in the Poonch-Rajouri area. Indian Army is responding appropriately in a calibrated manner.”
Wednesday’s developments mark a sharp deterioration in border peace after a relatively calm period since the reaffirmation of the India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021. With tensions running high, the situation remains fluid, and further military and diplomatic responses are expected in the days ahead.