Jammu: Nine people, including a woman and two children, were killed and 28 others injured in the cross-border artillery and mortar shelling in this worst-hit border district, soon after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ early Wednesday to hit nine terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
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.
All nine deaths were reported in the worst-hit Poonch district, with another 25 persons injured, the officials said.
The Pakistani response involved the use of heavy artillery and mortars, targeting dozens of forward villages and densely-populated civilian areas in Mankote, Mendhar, Thandi Kassi and Poonch city, a police officer monitoring the situation on the ground said.
The shelling left a trail of destruction — damaged houses, broken shops, burnt vehicles, bloodstains, and debris-littered streets. Even heritage sites like the Poonch Fort and ancient temples were not spared.
Ten persons were injured in the Uri sector of Baramulla district, and three others were injured in Rajouri district, the officials said.
Felt like a war zone: Ponnch residents
The residents in Poonch city reported a sleepless and terrifying night with shells exploding in close quarters, echoing through the hills.
“It was like a war zone with the injured screaming for help and families forced to look for cover. The damage could be seen everywhere,” Mohd Zahid, a local resident, said as he thanked his luck for escaping the shelling.
More than 150 residents of Dhaki have shifted to the homes of their relatives after over a dozen residential houses were damaged by the shelling.
“We were not expecting such a situation at the dead of the night. We were lucky to survive the shelling and, therefore, it was better to move to some safer place for the time being,” said Khurshid Ahmad, a resident of Dhaki.
Shells also landed near the UN station and forest department buildings in Poonch, causing extensive damage to both the structures.
Five of the shelling victims, including two minor siblings — Mohd Zain Khan The residents in Poonch city reported a sleepless and terrifying night with shells exploding in close quarters, echoing through the hills.
“Pakistan is retaliating to India’s operation by targeting the civilian population. They missed the military targets and shelled us heavily overnight, killing our people and injuring many. The damage to our homes and property is massive,” said Sardar Navneet Singh from Mankote.
Mankote reported the first of the nine deaths in the Pakistani shelling when a mortar shell hit the house of Kala Singh, killing his wife Balvinder Kour and injuring their 13-year-old daughter.
Mohammad Sadiq, a forest guard, said two of his colleagues were wounded after shells exploded near their office. Many frightened residents have started fleeing their homes in search of safer zones.
“We are moving to safer places. There’s fear everywhere,” Maqbool Ahmed, who left Poonch with his family in a private vehicle, said.
Shah reviews states bordering Pakistan, Nepal
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday called an urgent meeting of chief ministers, chief secretaries and DGPs of states having borders with Pakistan and Nepal.
The meeting has been called in the wake of the strikes carried out by the Indian armed forces on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir as a retaliatory action against the Pahalgam terror attack, sources said.
They said the meeting, to be held through video conferencing, will be attended by chief ministers, chief secretaries and Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim and West Bengal, besides Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
The home minister has already directed chiefs of all Central Armed Police Forces to call back their personnel who are on leave, they said.
According to sources, Shah also reviewed the internal security situation in the country and asked the top security officials to be on alert and keep strict vigil.
Four border schools in Rajasthan closed
Following the missile strikes, government and private schools have been closed in Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts as a precautionary measure. These districts are located along the Indo-Pak border. The western Rajasthan districts are on alert.
Mock drills as per the Centre’s instructions is also scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
“Schools have been closed and all the preparations for the mock drills have been completed,” the official said.
Rajasthan, a strategically important state, shares approximately 1070 km-long border with Pakistan.
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