New Delhi, May 7: Fifteen civilians have been killed and 43 others injured following artillery shelling by the Pakistan Army targeting civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar since Tuesday night, according to defence sources.
The attacks, which mark another violation of the ceasefire agreement, caused widespread panic among local residents and inflicted significant damage to homes and infrastructure. Several houses were hit, with reports of shattered window panes and cracked walls in affected villages.
This escalation comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, during which the Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Despite the conclusion of the operation, Pakistan has continued to shell border villages in Jammu and Kashmir.
In response to the deteriorating situation, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened an emergency meeting with top officials to assess the impact and coordinate relief efforts for affected civilians.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking on Wednesday at an event inaugurating 50 new infrastructure projects by the Border Roads Organisation across six states and two Union Territories, praised the Indian Armed Forces for their bravery and precision during Operation Sindoor.
He emphasized that the military operations were carried out with utmost care to avoid harm to civilians, highlighting the forces' "valour, precision, and sensitivity."
(With agency inputs)
