Jammu – In a tragic escalation of cross-border violence, five people, including a senior government official and a two-year-old child, were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu districts early Saturday. Several others were injured in the intense shelling, which also caused significant damage to residential areas.
Key Details of the Incident:
- Casualties in Rajouri:
- Additional Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thapa, succumbed to injuries after an artillery shell hit his residence. Two of his staff members were critically injured and are undergoing treatment.
- Two civilians, including two-year-old Aisha Noor and 35-year-old Mohd Shohib, were killed near an industrial area in Rajouri town.
- Fatalities in Poonch:
- A 55-year-old woman, Rashida Bi, lost her life when a mortar shell struck her house in Kanghra-Galhutta village in the Mendhar sector.
- Three others were injured in Poonch and were evacuated to a hospital.
- Cross-Border Firing in Jammu:
- Ashok Kumar, a resident of Bidipur Jatta village, was killed in cross-border firing along the International Border in the R.S. Pura sector.
- Several people in Jammu city sustained injuries as artillery shells and suspected drones hit residential areas, including Rehari and Rupnagar.
Additional Incidents:
- In Punjab’s Ferozepur, three people were injured after a drone hit the area on the night of May 9-10. One woman remains in critical condition, while two others suffered minor burns.
Reactions and Condolences:
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his grief over the loss of lives, particularly the death of Raj Kumar Thapa. In a post on X, he said, “Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. May his soul rest in peace.”
Rising Tensions:
The shelling comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border remains tense, with both nations on high alert.
