Rahul Gandhi meets victims of Pakistani shelling in J&K's Poonch

Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday to meet people affected by the recent Pakistani shelling.

 

He called the loss of lives and destruction of property caused by shelling from Pakistan a "tragedy". 

 

Gandhi visited a local school and spent time with children who had lost friends or were otherwise affected by the shelling. He encouraged them to remain strong and continue their education.

 

“Talk to people, play hard, and make lots of friends at school,” he told the students during a brief and informal interaction.

 

At one point, he gently asked two students—a boy and a girl sitting beside him—about the friends they lost during the four days of shelling between India and Pakistan. Congress sources said his visit was aimed at bringing national attention to the struggles faced by civilians living in conflict-affected border areas.

 

Gandhi was joined by several senior Congress leaders, including J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra, senior leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir, party spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, J&K in-charge Dr Naseer Hussain, and Rajouri MLA Iftikhar Ahmed. The group toured villages and schools that had suffered damage in the recent attacks.

 

Poonch, which lies near Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was among the worst-hit areas. Thirteen people were killed there, including 12-year-old twins—a brother and sister. Many houses, shops, and vehicles were also damaged.

 

This was Gandhi’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir following the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 25 tourists and a local resident. The attack led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan and led to the launch of Operation Sindoor by the Indian Air Force.

India