Cross-border shelling by Pakistan overnight has resulted in damage to multiple residential buildings in the Kupwara, Poonch, and Rajouri sectors of Jammu. Visuals from Kupwara and Poonch depict the impact of the shelling on civilian homes.
A resident of Poonch whose house was damaged expressed his distress, stating, “I can’t understand what Pakistan thinks and does. This is not humanity. If Pakistan won’t understand now, then what will it? If it weren’t for our Armed Forces, we wouldn’t have been able to sleep peacefully at night.”
Furthermore, a Hanuman Temple in Poonch sustained damage in the shelling. A local resident condemned the targeting of religious sites, saying, “Pakistan army is targeting religious places in Poonch, gurudwara, masajid, temples, this is very bad. We stand with the Indian army and the government of India.”
Following the heavy cross-border shelling, residents living along the Line of Control (LOC) in Rajouri have begun to evacuate to safer areas. One local resident recounted the night’s events, “Last night when the shelling took place, around 200 of us were hidden in a bunker. There was an atmosphere of fear. Many houses were also damaged. This is why people have started moving to safer places. Some people moved away in the morning, some are waiting for vehicles to move out… Many people are still here… Shelling went on all night… Children were very scared… Our houses have been destroyed and cattle have died, while some are being left behind.”
Another resident reported that the shelling lasted from 9 pm yesterday to 6 am today, damaging several houses and vehicles. “Shelling went on from 9 pm yesterday to 6 am today. A couple of houses and vehicles have been damaged. We spent the night in a bunker with around 200 others. We have nowhere to go. The government has sent a bus for us so we are leaving, but we don’t know where to go… Civilians were targeted by Pakistan,” he stated.
These incidents follow a series of coordinated drone and missile attacks launched by Pakistan on Thursday night along India’s western border, targeting regions in Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan. Indian defense officials reported that the majority of these attacks were intercepted by India’s air defense systems, including the S-400 missile defense system, thereby preventing significant damage.
The recent escalation comes after India’s Operation Sindoor earlier this week, which targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir on April 22 that resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists.
The situation in the region remains tense, with international calls for restraint and diplomatic engagement to de-escalate the conflict.
