Pakistan shelling leaves trail of destruction in Jammu city

A trail of destruction marked the Rehari colony in Jammu city following intense mortar shelling by Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, triggering panic among the local residents.

The shelling severely damaged vehicles parked in the area and tore off a section of the top floor of a three-story building. The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 am when residents were jolted awake by a loud explosion, after which structures in the colony sustained significant damage.

Dharamvir Chadha, whose house bore the brunt of the damage in Rehari, recounted the scene of chaos. “There was smoke everywhere after a massive sound. Almost all the glass in my building shattered,” Chadha stated. “I still don’t know what struck my home, causing immense damage and filling the area with smoke.”

He expressed uncertainty regarding government compensation for the extensive damage his house incurred due to the attack. Locals reported that police arrived at the scene and recovered fragments of the projectile that hit the building.

Meanwhile, loud explosions were also heard in other parts of the city in the early morning, sparking fears of a missile attack among the populace. A projectile struck an area near the Shambhu temple in the Roopnagar area, causing damage to a nearby house. Debris from the damaged building was scattered throughout the area.

Sunil Kumar, a local resident, described the terrifying moment. “I was sleeping when it happened. The blast made my house tremble. It wasn’t a small drone or a projectile; it felt like a missile that shook the entire area,” Kumar explained.

Sirens began wailing shortly after the projectile breached Indian territory, rousing many locals before the impact at the two sites in Jammu. This morning’s assault followed the interception of multiple drones overnight by Indian armed forces. In addition to these two locations, suspected drones struck six other locations in Jammu.

Kumar emphasized the potential for greater tragedy, stating, “Had it happened a little later, many people would have been killed.”

CM Omar visits affected areas

Jammu, May 10

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited two residential localities hit by explosions triggered by suspected Pakistani drones or shells, causing damages to a house and several parked vehicles, officials said.

Abdullah visited the explosion sites in Rehari and Roop Nagar and interacted with the affected families, they said.

Four persons — Neeraj Gupta, his daughter Hitakshi Gupta, Vineet and Rajinder Kumar — were injured in Rehari, the officials said.

“Visited Rehari and Roopnagar in Jammu today to see the damage caused by the recent shelling. The pain and disruption faced by the residents is deeply concerning. We stand with every affected family and will ensure all necessary support is provided without delay,” Abdullah said in a post on X.

The attacks followed after Pakistan launched a wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India — from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat — for the second night on Friday. — OC

J & K