Pakistan Shells J&K in Retaliation to Operation Sindoor; 13 Dead, Dozens Injured in Intense Cross-Border Firing

Following India's Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army launched intense shelling across the LoC, killing 13 and injuring 57 in J&K. Civilians were targeted in multiple districts, with a Gurdwara in Poonch struck by artillery fire. The Indian Army retaliated as the ceasefire agreement saw its worst violation in years.

A day after India carried out targeted strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, the Pakistani Army resorted to heavy and unprovoked cross-border shelling across multiple sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. The intense overnight firing between May 7 and 8 resulted in the death of at least 13 civilians, including four children and one Indian soldier, and injured 57 others.

The shelling, described by officials as among the most intense in years, targeted areas along the Line of Control (LoC), including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Akhnoor, and several parts of Poonch and Rajouri. Artillery shells and mortars rained down on forward villages, destroying homes, vehicles, and public buildings — including a Gurdwara in Poonch town, where three Sikh men were killed.

Indian forces retaliated proportionately, responding to the aggression with artillery fire. The military stated that Pakistan’s firing was unprovoked and directed at civilian areas, further escalating the already tense situation post-Operation Sindoor.

Operation Sindoor was India’s direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. Indian armed forces targeted nine terrorist bases linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Following the operation, Pakistan vowed to retaliate — and last night’s shelling appears to be the first wave of that response.

The renewed violence has forced hundreds of residents near the LoC into underground bunkers or evacuation shelters. Several areas, particularly in Poonch and Baramulla, remain on high alert.

Also Read: India Strikes Back: Operation Sindoor Destroys 9 Terror Camps Across Pakistan and PoK

This marks the first major violation of the February 2021 ceasefire agreement between the two countries. Leaders across political lines, especially from Punjab, have condemned the attack on the Gurdwara and the loss of civilian lives.