'India Was Compelled To Respond..': Defence Ministry On Pak's Unprovoked Firing At LOC That Killed 16 Innocent Lives
New Delhi: In a statement released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Thursday, May 8, India shared that it was “compelled to respond” to continued Pakistani provocation after heavy cross-border firing killed 16 civilians, including three women and five children, in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry of Defence said the Indian Armed Forces had responded proportionately, targeting Pakistani military assets responsible for the escalation.
“Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt," the statement read.
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According to the official statement, Pakistan intensified unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC), using mortars and heavy artillery in sectors such as Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri. In addition to the civilian toll, the attacks also targeted Indian military infrastructure.
The escalation followed what India described as a failed Pakistani attempt to strike multiple military targets across Northern and Western India using drones and missiles on the night of May 7–8. These included key areas like Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh, and Bhuj. The Indian defence systems successfully neutralised the incoming threats, with debris now being recovered as evidence of the attempted strikes.
India said its response early Thursday morning targeted Pakistani air defence radars and systems, specifically confirming that an air defence installation in Lahore had been “neutralised.” The government insisted that this counterattack matched Pakistan’s aggression “in the same domain with same intensity.”
India reiterated that its actions remain “focused, measured and non-escalatory,” and stressed that escalation is not its aim, unless provoked. “Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military,” the statement concluded.
Tensions have escalated following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians.
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