Heavy Pakistani shelling leaves trail of destruction in Jammu & Kashmir's Poonch

Poonch (J&K): Heavy Pakistani shelling in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir left behind a trail of destruction on Wednesday.

Nine people were killed and 28 others injured in the cross-border artillery and mortar shelling in this worst-hit border district, soon after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ early Wednesday to hit nine terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

The Pakistani shelling was not only restricted to Poonch, but was also witnessed in the forward areas of nearby Rajouri district in Jammu region, and Uri, Karnah and Tangdhar sectors in Kupwara district.

The indiscriminate shelling, described by residents and officials as “barbaric and cowardly”, started around 2 am in the entire border belt, leaving dozens of residential houses damaged with their inhabitants running for cover after being woken up by the deafening sound of explosions.

The Pakistani response involved the use of heavy artillery and mortars, targeting dozens of forward villages and densely-populated civilian areas in Mankote, Mendhar, Thandi Kassi and Poonch city, a police officer monitoring the situation on the ground said.

The shelling left a trail of destruction -- damaged houses, broken shops, burnt vehicles, bloodstains, and debris-littered streets. Even heritage sites like the Poonch Fort and ancient temples were not spared.

“Targeting unarmed civilians is not bravery. It was is a cowardly act by Pakistan,” the officer said.

The residents in Poonch city reported a sleepless and terrifying night with shells exploding in close quarters, echoing through the hills.

“It was like a war zone with the injured screaming for help and families forced to look for cover. The damage could be seen everywhere,” Mohd Zahid, a local resident, said as he thanked his luck for escaping the shelling.

More than 150 residents of Dhaki have shifted to the homes of their relatives after over a dozen residential houses were damaged by the shelling.

“We were not expecting such a situation at the dead of the night. We were lucky to survive the shelling and, therefore, it was better to move to some safer place for the time being,” said Khurshid Ahmad, a resident of Dhaki.

Shells also landed near the UN station and forest department buildings in Poonch, causing extensive damage to both the structures.

Five of the shelling victims, including two minor siblings -- Mohd Zain Khan (10) and his elder sister Zoya Khan (12) - died in the vicinity of the town.

“Pakistan is retaliating to India’s operation by targeting the civilian population. They missed the military targets and shelled us heavily overnight, killing our people and injuring many. The damage to our homes and property is massive," said Sardar Navneet Singh from Mankote.

Mankote reported the first of the nine deaths in the Pakistani shelling when a mortar shell hit the house of Kala Singh, killing his wife Balvinder Kour and injuring their 13-year-old daughter.

Mohammad Sadiq, a forest guard, said two of his colleagues were wounded after shells exploded near their office. Many frightened residents have started fleeing their homes in search of safer zones.

“We are moving to safer places. There’s fear everywhere,” Maqbool Ahmed, who left Poonch with his family in a private vehicle, said.

Videos circulating on social media showed the horror unfolding in the affected areas, drawing widespread outrage.

Fire service teams have been deployed to control the blazes sparked by the shells. The local administration is coordinating the relief efforts, even as the situation remains tense with intermittent shells still hitting the area.

National Conference MLA Aijaz Jan said, “The situation is worrisome given the damage caused by the shelling. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is closely monitoring the developments.” Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid condemned Pakistan for targeting the civilian population.

“The Indian forces hit terrorist targets like the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which have targeted security forces and innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir for the past 35 years,” he said, hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping his promise of avenging the Pahalgam killings.

However, Vaid said that Pakistan once again exposed its behaviour by targeting civilians living close to the border.

The Indian Army is responding “in equal measure” to the ceasefire violations, officials said, reaffirming that civilian safety remained its top priority.