Residents in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district are cautiously returning to their homes Thursday morning, following a night of intense Pakistani artillery shelling that sent entire villages fleeing into the darkness.
The retaliatory shelling by the Pakistan Army comes in response to India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Wednesday.
🔥 Border Villages Under Fire
The Pakistani military resorted to heavy artillery and small arms fire across the Line of Control (LoC), especially in Rajouri, Poonch, Tangdhar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor sectors, according to Indian defence sources. The shelling, which began Tuesday night and continued into early Thursday, led to widespread panic, property damage, and civilian casualties.
🩸 15 civilians have been killed and 43 injured so far in Pakistan’s unprovoked firing, which directly hit residential homes, livestock shelters, and civilian infrastructure.
💬 Villagers Speak: “We Ran for Our Lives”
- Sailesh Kumar, a resident of a border village in Rajouri, recounted: “Two shells fell on my house. The whole village was deserted… we fled with our livestock.”
- Neeraj Sharma described the terrifying night: “We fled to our relatives’ homes. The shelling damaged several houses—it was horrible.”
- Shamlal, who returned on Thursday, noted: “We left last night. Firing has reduced this morning, but the damage to the village is heavy.”
Villagers said cracked walls, shattered windows, and shell debris now mark the landscape of their homes.
🛡️ Indian Army Responds to Ceasefire Violations
The Indian Army has responded proportionately to the Pakistani shelling, targeting forward Pakistani positions in a calibrated manner across the LoC.
The military is also on high alert, monitoring for further ceasefire violations, even as Operation Sindoor succeeded in neutralizing key terror hubs linked to JeM and LeT.
🎯 Operation Sindoor: Strategic Precision
India’s Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians. As part of the response:
- 9 terror camps were struck—4 in Pakistan and 5 in PoJK.
- Camps in Bahawalpur, Sialkot (Sarjal), Muridke, and Mehmoona Joya were destroyed.
- The operation was jointly conducted by the Army, Air Force, and Navy, targeting terror sites without civilian casualties or military infrastructure being hit.
📌 Conclusion
With shelling ongoing and civilian lives at risk, the situation remains tense in Jammu and Kashmir. While India maintains tactical restraint and strategic clarity, Pakistan’s indiscriminate artillery fire on civilian areas underscores a dangerous escalation—one with severe humanitarian implications.