Following Indian missile strikes targeting alleged terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Pakistan Army initiated a heavy artillery and mortar shelling targeting forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials reported that this was one of the most intense shelling incidents witnessed in years, resulting in at least 13 fatalities, including four children and an Indian Army soldier, and injuring 57 others.
The indiscriminate shelling forced hundreds of residents to seek refuge in underground bunkers or relocate to safer areas. The Pakistani shelling caused significant damage to houses, vehicles, and various buildings, including a Gurudwara, creating widespread panic among border residents, particularly in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region and the Baramulla and Kupwara districts in north Kashmir.
Officials stated that the Indian Army responded effectively to the shelling, inflicting casualties on the Pakistani side and destroying several of their firing posts. This intense exchange marks a significant escalation, being the first instance of such heavy shelling since the renewal of the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on February 25, 2021.
Poonch district bore the brunt of the casualties, accounting for all 13 deaths and 42 injuries, with two individuals reported to be in critical condition. The shelling was widespread across the LoC in Poonch, affecting areas including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni, and even the Poonch district headquarters. Dozens of houses and vehicles sustained damage. The intense shelling persisted until noon and continued intermittently, primarily concentrated in the Poonch sector for several hours. Evacuating victims to hospitals proved challenging for locals due to the heavy shelling, which also impacted the Poonch bus stand, damaging several buses.
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This incident marked the 13th consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, amidst heightened tensions following the recent attack in Pahalgam.
Earlier, a defence spokesman reported that during the night of May 6 and 7, the Pakistan Army engaged in arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the LoC and International Border opposite Jammu and Kashmir. He affirmed that the Indian Army was responding in a “proportionate manner.” Army sources indicated that Indian troops inflicted significant casualties on the enemy forces and destroyed several of their posts in the retaliatory action.
In response to the escalating situation, authorities ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the five border districts of the Jammu region on Wednesday.
In a gesture of solidarity, Congress MLA from Rajouri Iftkhar Ahmed, along with his supporters, donated blood after visiting the injured at the GMC hospital in Rajouri. He urged the public to come forward and donate blood, emphasizing the critical need for support during this time. He stated, “We are ready to sacrifice everything for the integrity and sovereignty of the nation. The nation comes first, and we should stand united to face any challenges that come our way.”
Principal GMC Rajouri Amarjeet Singh Bhatia assured that the hospital was fully prepared to handle the situation arising from the border skirmishes and increasing tension, stating that “All necessary arrangements are in place to ensure the best treatment for the patients.”
Authorities in Poonch district announced the designation of nine public shelter camps equipped with adequate amenities for residents wishing to relocate from the forward villages affected by the Pakistani shelling. Liaqat Ali, a resident of Jorian village near the International Border, stated that while their village had not experienced cross-border firing in this instance, they had been instructed to move to the ITI College in R S Pura, where the government had made necessary arrangements for their accommodation due to the prevailing tense situation. He recalled that their village had suffered significant damage and had even been burned down in the past due to Pakistani shelling.
The intense shelling from across the border commenced shortly after Indian armed forces conducted missile strikes on nine alleged terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.
