New Delhi – In a grave escalation along the Line of Control, artillery shelling by the Pakistan Army late Tuesday night killed 15 civilians and injured 43 in the border areas of Poonch and Tangdhar, according to defence sources. Several civilian homes were damaged in the heavy firing, causing widespread panic among residents.
The Pakistan Army targeted residential areas despite the ongoing tensions following India’s recent military operation. Shelling also struck the Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch, killing three Sikh worshippers: Raagi Singh Amrik Singh Ji, Bhai Amarjeet Singh, and Bhai Ranjit Singh.
Condemning the attack, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal described it as inhuman and demanded compensation and official recognition for the deceased. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann echoed the sentiment, calling the assault on a place of worship “highly condemnable”.
This comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Armed Forces early Wednesday in retaliation for the brutal Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the victims in Pahalgam were executed at close range in front of family members—a calculated act to spread terror and destabilise peace in Kashmir.
In response, Indian forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the armed forces for their “valour, precision, and humanity”, emphasising that civilian areas were deliberately avoided during the strikes.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed the successful targeting of all nine terror sites, while Col Sofiya Qureshi presented video evidence of the destruction. The Indian government maintains that the strikes were proportionate, non-escalatory, and aimed solely at dismantling terrorist infrastructure.
Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, convened an emergency meeting with officials to assess the situation in the affected border areas.
The latest developments underscore the fragile security environment in the region, as both sides remain on high alert.
