Operation Sindoor: 13 civilians killed, 59 injured in cross-border artillery firing across LoC; check details

Hours after India carried out Operation Sindoor on nine terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the death of at least 13 civilians after Pakistani forces resorted to heavy artillery shelling and mortar fire across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The shelling, which reportedly began late Wednesday (May 7) night and continued into the early hours of Thursday, follows India¡¯s ¡®Operation Sindoor¡¯, a coordinated missile strike targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. MEA also confirmed the injury toll to have reached 59.

Multiple civilian areas hit in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara

According to officials (a source-backed report attached later):

• Six civilians died in Poonch, one in Mendhar, and others in various locations in Rajouri, Kupwara, and Baramulla.
• Over 55 civilians sustained injuries, with many still in critical condition.
• Two CRPF personnel were injured when a mortar shell landed near a bus stand in Poonch town.

A military official said as per PTI, "During the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded proportionately.¡±

Heavy cross-border shelling was reported in Krishna Ghati, Shahpur, Mankote, Balakote, Gulpur, and Kerni in the Poonch district, and Laam, Manjakote, and Gambeer Brahmana in Rajouri. In North Kashmir, Uri (Baramulla) and Tangdhar and Chowkibal (Kupwara) witnessed intense shelling that damaged a dozen structures and injured at least nine people.

Children and women are among the victims

Among the deceased:

• Amarjeet Singh (47), an ex-serviceman in Kamakhan, died after a shell pierced the roof of his home.
• A woman was killed in Mankote, while her 13-year-old daughter sustained injuries.
• Three children aged between 12 and 14 died in Kalaani and Dungus villages due to direct mortar impacts.

Local residents said this was the first time Poonch town had been affected by such intense shelling since the 1999 Kargil War. ¡°Mortars shattered glass in houses, damaged buildings, and created holes in parked vehicles,¡± said a resident of Qazi Mohra, Poonch to The Hindu.

Widespread panic, schools shut, flights cancelled

The relentless firing has created a panic wave in the border districts. Authorities have:

• Set up temporary shelters in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, and R.S. Pora.
• Ordered the closure of schools and colleges in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch.
• Suspended flight operations in Jammu, Srinagar, and Leh, leading to flight cancellations by Air India and route diversions by other airlines.

Indian Army Retaliates

Indian security forces responded to the unprovoked shelling with equal intensity, sources told The Hindu. The cross-border exchange marked the 13th consecutive night of firing since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The retaliatory missile strikes under Operation Sindoor had targeted nine known terror facilities across the border, prompting the intensified Pakistani response.

#India¡¯s measured and proportionate response without crossing the airspace, along with the fact that there is no direct military-to-military combat yet, should preclude any threat of nuclear escalation, assuming Pakistan will behave sanely.https://t.co/rcIWsPbavm

¡ª The Times Of India (@timesofindia) May 8, 2025

The government is monitoring the situation closely

Emergency response teams remain deployed, while medical personnel in affected hospitals, including Poonch District Hospital, are attending to the injured. A district official told JKNS: ¡°Relief efforts are ongoing and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of civilians.¡± Meanwhile, authorities have urged residents to remain indoors or move to designated shelters as the Indian Army continues its response. Stay tuned to Indiatimes for more details.

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