In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, which saw India strike nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Pakistan has escalated tensions by launching heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in the deaths of 13 civilians and injuries to 59 others, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday.
According to the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the MEA, 44 of the injured are from Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir. The shelling by Pakistani forces specifically targeted civilian areas, damaging homes, shattering windows, and sparking panic among border residents.
Residents of Rajouri district were seen returning home on Thursday morning after a harrowing night of fleeing their villages amid intense bombardment. “We left our homes in fear… two shells fell on my house. The whole village was deserted,” said Sailesh Kumar, a resident of a border village in Rajouri.
This wave of ceasefire violations follows India’s precision strikes on May 7—carried out in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Under Operation Sindoor, India targeted key terror infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Officials reported that Pakistan had already begun small-arms ceasefire violations from the night of April 25-26, which intensified following India’s retaliatory strikes. On the night of May 7-8, the Pakistani Army opened fire in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor sectors, prompting the Indian Army to respond proportionately.
The Indian Armed Forces remain on high alert, monitoring ceasefire breaches, while reaffirming their commitment to national security and protection of civilian lives amid Pakistan’s continued aggression.