Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir): Amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions following Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army reportedly shelled the Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch on Wednesday, killing three Sikh civilians, drawing widespread condemnation across the political spectrum in India.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal called the incident an “inhuman attack” and identified the deceased as Bhai Amrik Singh Ji, a raagi Singh, Bhai Amarjeet Singh, and Bhai Ranjit Singh.
“Strongly condemn the inhuman attack by Pakistani forces… We demand that the martyrs be honored and their families adequately compensated. Sikhs have always been, and will continue to be, the sword arm of the country,” Badal posted on X, expressing solidarity with the grieving families.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also condemned the attack, calling it “highly condemnable” and mourning the deaths, which reportedly also included Ruby Kaur.
“Where prayers are offered for the well-being of all, such an attack is highly condemnable. Targeting common people is completely wrong,” Mann posted, urging strength for the bereaved families.
The shelling comes hours after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.
Following the strikes, Pakistan resumed ceasefire violations, targeting civilian areas in border villages of Jammu and Kashmir. Visuals from affected areas showed damaged homes, shattered glass, and scattered debris, prompting panic among locals.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reportedly held an emergency meeting to assess the border situation, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a Union Cabinet session where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed ministers on Operation Sindoor.
The precision strike—India’s deepest incursion into Pakistani territory since 1971—targeted terror training facilities in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot (in Pakistan), and five camps in PoJK, including those linked to the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.