8 civilians killed, 50 injured in indiscriminate firing by Pakistani army across LoC in J&K

At least eight persons, including a woman and two children, were killed and 50 others were injured as the Pakistani army pounded dozens of forward villages with artillery and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Army officials stated that during the night of May 6–7, the Pakistani Army initiated arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the Line of Control and International Border (IB) opposite Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian Army is responding to the shelling in equal measure, they said on the ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces after India carried out missile strikes against nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

All the eight deaths were reported in the worst-hit Poonch district with another 40 persons injured, the officials said.

More than ten persons were injured in Rajouri and Baramulla districts, the officials said.

Locals near the Line of Control in Kashmir reported that heavy shelling began after 1 am.

“Heavy shelling is going on… we have taken shelter in bunkers,” said a resident of Tangdhar in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, speaking to The Tribune.

Locals reported that several houses were damaged in Tangdhar due to the shelling. Another resident from Uri town in Baramulla district also confirmed that heavy shelling was ongoing in the area.

Over the past 12 days, there had been mostly small arms fire reported along the Line of Control, following last month’s Pahalgam attack which killed 26 people.

Early on Wednesday morning, the Ministry of Defence announced that the Indian Armed Forces had launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), from where terrorist attacks against India had been planned and directed.

“Altogether, nine sites have been targeted,” the ministry stated.

J & K