Children, soldier among 13 dead as Pak shelling hits J&K border villages

Jammu/Srinagar: At least 13 people, including four children and a soldier, were killed and 57 others injured in intense cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces targeting forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, officials reported on Wednesday. The attack came in the wake of Indian missile strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The shelling, one of the most severe in years, caused widespread panic across border areas, particularly in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu region and Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir. Civilian homes, vehicles, and public buildings bore the brunt of the bombardment, with several structures reduced to rubble. A Gurdwara in Poonch town was also hit, leading to the deaths of three Sikh residents.

According to officials, the Indian Army retaliated strongly, destroying several Pakistani posts that were firing across the border.

Casualties were reported on the Pakistani side as a result of the response. The violence marks the first major ceasefire breach since the two countries reaffirmed their ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021. Poonch district suffered the heaviest toll, with all 13 fatalities reported from this region alone. Among the injured, 42 were from Poonch, including two in critical condition.

The barrage began late on Tuesday night and continued through the morning, with some sectors experiencing intermittent shelling into the afternoon. Areas affected included Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni, and Poonch district headquarters. The shelling also hit the main bus stand in Poonch, damaging multiple vehicles and making the evacuation of the injured particularly challenging. Three Sikh men were killed when a shell struck the Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib and nearby residences in Poonch town. The deceased were identified as Bhai Amrik Singh, Bhai Amarjeet Singh, and Bhai Ranjit Singh. Political and religious organisations in Punjab strongly condemned the incident.

In north Kashmir, ten civilians, including five children, were injured in shelling in the Uri sector of Baramulla district. Three more people sustained injuries in Rajouri district, while several homes caught fire in the Karnah sector of Kupwara.

The list of those killed includes Balvinder Kour (33), Zain Khan (10), Zoya Khan (12), Mohd Akram (40), Amrik Singh (55), Mohd Iqbal (45), Ranjeet Singh (48), Shakeela Bi (40), Amarjeet Singh (47), Maryam Khatoon (7), Vihaan Bhargav (13), Mohd Rafi (40), and an Army Lance Naik.

This marks the 13th consecutive night of firing incidents across the LoC and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, following the April 22 terror strike in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The Defence Ministry earlier stated that during the night of May 6 and 7, Pakistani forces carried out unprovoked firing, including artillery shelling, from across the border. The Indian Army, according to officials, has been responding in a “proportionate manner” and has inflicted significant damage to enemy positions.

Educational institutions across five border districts in the Jammu region were closed on Wednesday as a precautionary measure. Local authorities in Poonch have also set up nine public shelter camps equipped with basic facilities for those displaced or seeking refuge. Residents from several border villages, including those not directly hit, have begun relocating to government-designated shelters. Liaqat Ali, a resident of Jorian village near the International Border, said he and others were moved to ITI College in R S Pura due to the ongoing threat.

The renewed hostilities follow missile strikes carried out by Indian forces on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, which were in response to the Pahalgam attack. Since then, tensions have escalated sharply along the border, resulting in continued ceasefire violations and growing civilian casualties.