NEW DELHI: Atleast 13 people, including four children and a soilder, were killed and 59 others were injured in a major exchange of fire along the Line of Control and the International Borders across the Jammu and Kashmir artillery pressed into action.
The Indian Army is responding to the shelling in equal measure, they said on the ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces after India carried out missile strikes against nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Hundreds of residents were forced to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer places as the indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan destroyed houses, vehicles, and various buildings, including a Gurdwara, and created panic among the border residents. The worst-hit was the Poonch district, where 13 deaths were reported with 42 injured, along with Rajouri in Jammu region and Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir.
An Indian Army soldier was killed during the shelling. The soldier was identified as Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment
"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 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling," the Indian Army in a statement said.
The shelling was reported from all along the LoC in Poonch, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters, resulting in damage to dozens of houses and vehicles, they said.
The shelling from across the border was intense till noon and later continued intermittently, mostly restricting to the Poonch sector for the next few hours.
Locals faced a tough time evacuating the victims to hospital due to the heavy shelling, which also hit Poonch bus stand, damaging several buses, the officials said.
Ten persons were injured in Uri sector of Baramulla district and three others were injured in Rajouri district, the officials said.
“During the night of 6-7 May 2025, Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing including Artillery shelling from posts across the Line of Control and IB opposite J&K.” The Army said.
Three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing and shelling, they said.
Several parties from Punjab condemned the incident.
In a post on X, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "Strongly condemn the inhuman attack by Pakistani forces on the sacred Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch, in which three innocent Gursikhs, including Bhai Amrik Singh Ji (a raagi Singh), Bhai Amarjeet Singh and Bhai Ranjit Singh lost their lives."
Ten persons, including five children, were also injured in cross-border shelling in Uri sector of Baramulla district, while three others were injured in Rajouri district, the officials said, adding several houses also caught fire due to shelling in Karnah sector of Kupwara district.
The officials identified the deceased as Balvinder Kour alias Ruby (33), Mohd Zain Khan (10), his elder sister 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) and Mohd Rafi (40) and a Lance naik of Army.
The deaths follow India launching Operation Sindoor on Wednesday early morning hitting nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Missiles were used in these "precision strikes" on terror infrastructure.
Pakistan's army said six locations had been targeted. These include Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province, the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror hub, and Muridke, headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution," the Indian Defence Ministry statement stated, while drawing a clear link between Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
(With inputs from PTI)
