13 die as Pakistan shells villages alongside LoC, military retaliates

The shelling got here hours after Indian forces carried out precision strikes on 9 terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror assault that killed 26 individuals two weeks in the past .

A senior police officer in Poonch confirmed the civilian casualties and mentioned the useless included 4 youngsters aged between seven and 14 years, two of whom have been siblings. Poonch chief medical officer Dr Parvaiz Khan, confirmed the 12 deaths and 42 accidents.

Nagrota-based White Knight Corps mentioned Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Subject Regiment Royal Artillery was additionally killed within the shelling. “GOC and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 Could 25 throughout Pakistan Military shelling,” it posted on X.

The deceased civilians embody Balvinder Kour or Ruby of Mankote, Mohammed Zain or Ayan of Poonch, his sister Zoya Khan of Mandi, Mohammed Akram of Sukka Katha, Amreek Singh, Ranjeet Singh and Amarjeet Singh of Sandigate, Mohammedd Rafi of Bandichechian, Mohammedd Iqbal of Baila, Shakeela Bi of Bhainch Dalera, Maryam Khatoon of Qazi Mohra and Vihaan Bhargav of Dungus, he mentioned.

“Out of the 42 injured, 4 have been referred to GMC Jammu for specialised therapy. They’re secure,” mentioned Dr Khan.

A senior police officer, who requested to not be named, mentioned, “Twelve civilians, together with 4 minors aged seven, 12, 13 and 14 have been killed within the Pakistani shelling.”

4 members of the Sikh group, together with a girl, additionally died. A Muslim cleric of the Darul Uloom Madrasa, Quari Mohammad Iqbal, was killed within the shelling, added the official.

The Indian military was responding in an efficient and applicable method.

The indiscriminate shelling created panic among the many border residents who have been compelled to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer locations inside or exterior their villages. The shelling was reported from Balakot, Mendhar, Mankote, Sagra, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters, leading to harm to dozens of homes.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah castigated the shelling.

“Pakistan has gone out of its technique to goal the civilian populations. I had a video convention with all of the district collectors alongside the border and Line of Management and have taken inventory of the state of affairs and we’re coping with the state of affairs because it develops,” he mentioned.”We are able to solely hope that every one of this ends quickly. If the weapons from the opposite aspect cease, the weapons right here will even cease. At the moment, our civilian areas are their main targets.”

“Villagers are migrating to their family members’ homes in Jammu,” mentioned Darshan Bharti, a resident of Poonch metropolis. He mentioned that he was evacuating his household to Jammu. “However there may be panic among the many individuals. There are giant queues of individuals at gasoline stations,” he mentioned.

Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha took inventory of the state of affairs within the border districts with all of the senior administrative, police and district officers, together with deputy commissioners (DCs) of all of the border districts, earlier this morning.

“I’m carefully monitoring the state of affairs and the federal government is totally ready to take care of any eventuality. I’ve additionally directed the DCs for shifting of villagers from weak areas to safer places and making certain boarding, lodging, meals, medicare and transportation. We are going to guarantee the security of each citizen. Jai Hind!” the L-G posted on X.

In north Kashmir, panic unfold after Pakistani shells started raining on villages in Uri, Kupwara and Tangdhar shortly after midnight. At the least a dozen homes have been broken and 5 individuals, together with a three-year-old boy, have been injured within the shelling from throughout the LoC.

The villagers near bunkers took refuge in underground shelters, and a majority of individuals stayed of their mud and brick homes. 5 individuals have been injured and 4 homes broken when shells landed on Salamabad village, near the LoC. “There’s panic in our village. From midnight, no person might sleep as a consequence of heavy shelling. It’s paying homage to the previous years when related artillery shells landed in our villages,” mentioned Mohammad Aslam of Salamabad. “The injured individuals have been shifted to sub district hospital Uri,” he added.

Pakistani shells additionally landed in Gingal, Salamabad and Kamalkote in Uri, and Batapora in Tangdhar. “We have now taken refuge in underground bunkers after shells began falling within the neighboring village Batapora. There’s worry in all places because the state of affairs may be very unhealthy; some homes caught hearth as a result of shelling,” mentioned Mohammad Shafiq from Kandi Tanghdar.

The heavy shelling triggered a panicked evacuation from Chowkibal village, which is in Kupwara. A senior well being officer mentioned they obtained three accidents within the sub-district hospital Uri. “We’re anticipating extra accidents as shelling has been going since midnight,” he mentioned.

The military confirmed the shelling. “Throughout the night time of 06-07 Could 2025, Pakistan Military resorted to arbitrary firing together with artillery shelling from posts throughout the Line of Management and worldwide border reverse J&Okay.” the military mentioned in a press release.

“Pakistan once more violates the Ceasefire Settlement by firing artillery in Bhimber Gali in Poonch- Rajouri space. Indian Military is responding appropriately in a calibrated method,” the extra directorate common of public data (ADGPI) of the Indian Military wrote on X at 2.42am.

The shelling started hours after India carried out precision strikes on “terrorist infrastructure” at 9 websites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Within the Aklian Kalan village of Bathinda district in Punjab, one particular person was killed and 9 others injured after an unidentified plane crashed and went up in flames, Dr Dheera Gupta, senior medical officer on the authorities hospital in Goniana,

For the reason that April 22 terror assault at Pahalgam, the worst strike on civilians in almost twenty years, Pakistan has repeatedly flouted the ceasefire alongside the LoC and the worldwide border for 12 consecutive days. However Wednesday morning noticed the primary occasion of heavy shelling alongside the de-facto border in these two weeks. Anti-aircraft firing was heard within the Valley with sirens blaring on the 15 Corps headquarters in Srinagar, mentioned individuals conscious of developments.

Pakistani troops violated the February 2021 ceasefire settlement round 15 occasions between January and early April 2025. However the repeated concentrating on of Indian posts alongside the LoC, and the IB final week, has sparked probably the most intensive cross-border trade because the 2021 ceasefire.

On Tuesday too, the Pakistan Military had escalated tensions alongside the LoC by firing at Indian posts in a number of sectors together with Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor, marking the 12 straight day of ceasefire violations. The Indian Military’s counter -fire was measured however efficient.

The neighbouring military had opened hearth in these eight sectors on Sunday and Monday too, the utmost variety of areas it focused on a single day after the Pahalgam terror assault.

The intensive ceasefire violations have been seen as a deliberate try by Pakistan to escalate tensions alongside the de facto border the place it has rushed reinforcements to bolster its posture. The repeated concentrating on of Indian posts has sparked probably the most intensive cross-border trade because the 2021 ceasefire.

Not like remoted, transient exchanges that have been shortly resolved by way of established channels, the present sample entails simultaneous salvos at a number of factors and has persevered with growing frequency after the Pahalgam terror assault.