In the early hours of Wednesday, Pakistan launched heavy artillery and mortar shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 civilians and injuries to 59 others. Among the deceased were four children and three Sikh community members. The shelling also caused significant damage to a local gurdwara.
The incident occurred shortly after India’s Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Eyewitnesses described the intensity of the bombardment as worse than during the 1999 Kargil War, Indian Express reported. Amreek Singh, a local shopkeeper, was killed instantly when a shell exploded outside his shop near Syndicate Chowk as he arrived to open it. A nearby gurdwara, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, sustained considerable structural damage during the shelling.
Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, condemned the attack, stating, “The attack on Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha and the loss of Sikh lives is not just an event—it is a blow to humanity.” He urged both India and Pakistan to reduce tensions, and said that “both governments must act with wisdom, not weapons”.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also condemned the shelling, highlighting the loss of three Sikh community members namely, Amrik Singh Raagi, Amarjeet Singh and Bhai Ranjit Singh. He called for the martyrs to be honored and for their families to receive adequate compensation.
Union Minister and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu expressed his condolences, stating, “The martyrdom of Bhai Amrik Singh Ji, Bhai Amarjeet Singh Ji & Bhai Ranjit Singh Ji is a tragic loss. India will not tolerate such barbarity.”
The shelling has intensified concerns over civilian safety in border areas, with local authorities working to provide relief and medical assistance to the affected. The Indian government has reiterated its commitment to protecting its citizens and responding firmly to any acts of aggression.
The indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan created panic among the border residents who were forced to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer places within or outside their villages, the officials said.
The shelling was reported from all along the LoC in Poonch, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters, resulting in damage to dozens of houses and vehicles, they said.