“Following escalating cross-border shelling from Pakistan, which resulted in the deaths of an Additional District Development Commissioner and 19 villagers across Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu, and Baramulla sectors, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each bereaved family. These fatalities occurred over four days, subsequent to India’s retaliatory strikes on nine terrorist infrastructure targets in Pakistan on May 7, following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The shelling claimed 12 lives in Poonch on Wednesday, two more in Uri and Poonch on Friday, and an additional five, including a senior government officer, on Saturday.
Chief Minister Abdullah expressed deep sorrow over the civilian casualties, stating on X: ‘Deeply pained by the loss of innocent lives due to recent shelling from Pakistan. My Government is taking every possible measure to minimise the hardship of our people.’
His office further elaborated that while monetary compensation cannot replace lost lives or alleviate the trauma, the Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia is a gesture of support and solidarity. ‘We stand with every affected family in this hour of grief,’ the Chief Minister affirmed.”
