One Indian Army soldier was martyred in Pakistan’s artillery shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector on Wednesday, hours after India conducted targeted strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under Operation Sindoor.
The killed soldier, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment, died of cross-border shelling injuries. The Indian Army’s White Knight Corps (XVI Corps) saluted the jawan on social media, praising his ultimate sacrifice and solidarity with civilians hit by the recent wave of attacks in the area.
As per defence officials, the situation is closely being watched by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who has remained in touch with ground formations around the clock. Indian troops have been given freedom of operation to retaliate against Pakistan’s recurring ceasefire violations that have increasingly taken on civilian pockets.
On Wednesday, Indian troops carried out precision attacks on nine terror infrastructure locations deep within Pakistani territory and PoJK. The attacks, the deepest into uncluttered Pakistani territory since 1971, employed special guided munitions to strike five prime terror camps.
In a connected incident, a shell that was fired from the other side of the Line of Control hit Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha in the Poonch district, causing damage to portions of the building. Narinder Singh, president of the local Gurudwara committee, attested to damage to a door and a few window panes.
Pakistan’s shelling with artillery in Poonch and Tangdhar also killed 15 civilians and injured 43 others. In reaction to growing hostilities, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called an emergency meeting to assess the situation on the border.
Security personnel throughout the region are on heightened alert following apprehensions of further provocation from Pakistan as India resolute its stand against terror outfits based in the neighboring country.
