Villager killed, 3 injured in Pakistani shelling in Poonch; evacuation underway

Poonch/Jammu: A villager was killed and three others were injured in shelling by Pakistan in forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts early Friday morning, prompting Army troops to retaliate.

A series of high-intensity blasts between 3:50 am and 4:45 am triggered an immediate blackout and sounding of sirens, officials said.

Videos from the pre-dawn hours showed drones and other flying objects in the Jammu region being neutralised by the air defence system.

The firing and shelling were directed at areas in Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu districts, apart from Kashmir's Kupwara and Baramulla districts, overnight.

One person was killed and three others, including his wife, were injured in Pakistani shelling in different areas of Loran and Mendhar sectors of Poonch district, the officials said. The injured were shifted to hospital.

The shelling also caused significant damage to property, with many houses and hundreds of vehicles affected, they said.

The deceased has been identified as Mohd Abrar of Loran area. Among the injured includes Layaqat Hussain of Chalery area of Mendhar.

"Indian Army remains committed to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nation. All nefarious designs will be responded to with force," the ADGPI said on X.

India on Thursday night thwarted Pakistan's fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles - including in Jammu and Pathankot - after foiling similar bids at 15 locations across the northern and western regions of the country, as tensions soared between the two nations amid fears of a wider conflict.

Pakistani forces also resorted to numerous ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.

Earlier, in a post on X, the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu urged residents to stay calm. "Please remain calm. Do not panic," he said.

All schools, colleges, and universities have been closed in the region in the wake of the situation arising from the attacks by Pakistan in the Jammu region.

In light of the prevailing security situation along the Line of Control (LoC), Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Vikas Kundal, and Senior Superintendent of Police, Shafket Hussain, visited the Mangnar area to assess and reinforce security measures.

They conducted a comprehensive on-ground review of force deployment, assessed operational preparedness, and engaged with field personnel to ensure seamless coordination in maintaining peace and public safety, officials said.

Scores of people have been evacuated from areas along LoC to safer areas in Poonch abd Rajouri districts besides Jammu, they said adding several of them have been housed in camps.

As many as 15 Indians lost their lives and 43 were injured in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Tangdhar regions as Pakistan resorted to arbitrary firing and heavy shelling along the Line of Control and the International Border late on Tuesday night, the Army said.

In a swift and precise response, Indian armed forces successfully thwarted a Hamas-style attack launched from across the border by intercepting and neutralising all incoming missiles and drones directed at key locations in Jammu and surrounding areas late Thursday night.

In a major escalation, eight missiles were fired from Pakistan late Thursday night, targeting civilian and strategic locations in Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia. However, Indian Air Defence units sprang into action and intercepted every single missile, preventing any damage or casualties.