Seven killed, 38 injured as Pakistan shells LoC villages in response to Operation Sindoor
Indian security forces, stationed along the LoC, swiftly retaliated, and the cross-border shelling continued as of the latest reports;
Jammu/Srinagar, May 7: Seven people, including a woman and two children, were killed, and 38 others were injured following intense shelling by the Pakistan Army on Wednesday.
The worst-hit area was Poonch, where all seven fatalities occurred, and 25 of the injuries were reported. Ten people were injured in the Uri region of Baramulla, while three others were wounded in Rajouri.
The shelling, which began early Wednesday, is believed to be a direct response to India’s Operation Sindoor, which destroyed nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The artillery bombardment targeted multiple villages in the Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, and Kupwara districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The heavy artillery attacks, including mortars and shellfire, forced residents to take refuge in underground bunkers to shield themselves from the barrage.
"The situation is dire, and we are working closely with local authorities to ensure the safety of civilians," an official told a national newswire.
Indian security forces, stationed along the LoC, swiftly retaliated, and the cross-border shelling continued as of the latest reports.
“Pakistan again violated the Ceasefire Agreement by firing artillery in Bhimber Gali in the Poonch-Rajauri area. The Indian Army is responding appropriately in a calibrated manner,” the Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) stated on social media.
The ceasefire violations are now a significant concern, with this being the 13th consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the borders.
This latest round of shelling follows India's missile strikes under "Operation Sindoor" on Pakistan-based terror camps, including in Bahawalpur, which is known to be a major base for the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group.
"The Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from where attacks against India have been planned and directed," a statement from the Indian Army read.
Tensions between the two nations have heightened following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 civilians.
Pakistan's actions come in the wake of its violations of the Indus Water Treaty, a move that has further strained relations between the two nations.
The shelling started on April 24 after India suspended the treaty, and it has since intensified, spreading from small arms firing in the Kashmir Valley to larger artillery strikes in multiple sectors of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, officials have confirmed that an investigation is underway into a powerful explosion heard in Panthiyal sub-division in Ramban district, though the cause remains unknown.
- With inputs from news agencies