LoC Tensions Escalate: 13 Killed in Pakistani Shelling, India Retaliates

At least 12 civilians, including four children, and one soldier were killed in Poonch, J&K, due to intense Pakistani shelling, prompting evacuations on Wednesday, 7 May which triggered panic among local residents and prompted distress evacuations from border villages and hamlets.

[{"selector":"#anim-93b913c7-2f96-4d45-8455-50788c31158d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-38.5273436360835%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02a5db73-40a0-4119-95f7-89eadb784ab0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89c88405-9cc7-4d7a-956a-e832e5078bdb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.49626%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The shelling came after Indian forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22.

[{"selector":"#anim-b88cc5a7-1867-4a9e-ab29-104658665749","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52f13ef1-7395-4663-8d75-4705abb0cb0a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.49626%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5edd116e-dff4-4d8d-8815-53e08cba54af [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-49.41406240400295%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

A senior officer in Poonch confirmed the civilian casualties. Poonch chief medical officer Dr Parvaiz Khan confirmed the death of 12 civilians and reported 42 injuries.

[{"selector":"#anim-1495db05-a90e-4e62-a66c-6df48d93ac53","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28098473-fcc0-4660-a70b-f59a949c266a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.49626%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c29659b9-35c8-4a73-b5c9-e97300003d34 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-25.222614127917648%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The Nagrota-based White Knight Corps said Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 field Regiment Royal Artillery was also killed in the shelling.

[{"selector":"#anim-87d33de0-6f93-47b2-9beb-d388bb3bf9b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-431c47d7-edcf-431f-973d-4b7f4d3ffd3a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.49626%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58471d3a-2de4-42dc-9c47-61563c6c9b7c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(37.689393811336316%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Four minor- aged 7, 12, 13 and 14 were among the dead, two of whom were siblings.

[{"selector":"#anim-0c8c9345-5310-4705-bef1-32059acfc0fa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-103021f5-fd01-4823-a3b9-a56c60b49276","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.49626%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ac5e14f-98f7-4758-a2af-68798bcdf665 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.833984279002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Four members of Sikh community, including a woman also lost their lives. A muslim cleric of the Darul Uloom Madrasa was among those killed in the shelling.

[{"selector":"#anim-1b7a0545-3ded-474f-b1d7-b86e7192ab89","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-931a1959-0b7e-4e30-bc38-d64402ca71ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24688%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58bd8255-25be-4e2a-bb83-18931d66c00a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(47.65624990400295%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]