Daijiworld Media Network- Srinagar
Srinagar, May 8: In one of the deadliest escalations in recent times along the Line of Control (LoC), 15 people, including an Indian Army soldier, were killed, and over 40 others injured as Pakistan continued heavy mortar shelling for the 14th consecutive day in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked fire late Wednesday night using small arms and artillery in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor.
In retaliation, the Indian Army responded with precision, and military officials stressed that the response was "proportionate" and targeted only terror infrastructure, not any Pakistani military installation.
Paying homage to the fallen, the Army's White Knight Corps posted on X: “GOC and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on May 7 during Pakistan Army shelling. We stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in the Poonch Sector.”
As tensions reached boiling point, J&K administration began evacuating civilians from high-risk zones along the LoC. Hospitals in Poonch and Baramulla are overwhelmed with casualties, and the Jammu Government Medical College has been placed on high alert to handle critical cases.
In a precautionary move, schools, colleges, and all educational institutions in Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Samba, Kathua, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Gurez have been shut down. The Indian Air Force has taken control of Srinagar Airport, suspending all civilian flights till May 10.
On Wednesday, India launched precision missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including locations in Muzaffarabad, Sialkot, Kotli, and Bahawalpur. The MoD stressed that no Pakistani military base was targeted and that the strikes were non-escalatory, carried out without crossing the LoC.
The targeted terror camps include:
• Shawai Nallah Camp, Muzaffarabad (PoK)
• Muridke, Pakistan
• Sarjal Camp, Sialkot (Pakistan)
• Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (PoK)
• Markaz Abbas, Kotli (PoK)
• Mehmoona Joya Camp, Sialkot (Pakistan)
• Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (Pakistan)
• Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad (PoK)
• Maskar Raheel Shahid Gulpur Camp, Kotli (PoK)
PM Modi: "Terrorists Will Be Hunted Down to the Ends of the Earth"
Following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed a relentless pursuit of justice. “The terrorists, their handlers and backers will be chased and hunted down to the ends of the earth,” he declared.
India has since announced a series of diplomatic and strategic steps:
• Deportation of Pakistani nationals
• Closure of the Attari-Wagah border crossing
• Suspension of the Indus Water Treaty
• Airspace closed for Pakistani commercial flights
• All trade and cultural ties with Pakistan scrapped
• Kartarpur border corridor shut down
These steps followed back-to-back high-level meetings between the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, National Security Advisor, Chief of Defence Staff, and the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
To drive home a strong message domestically, security forces have demolished the houses of 10 terrorists linked to the Pahalgam attack. On April 25, homes of Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh, both LeT operatives, were razed in Tral and Bijbehara.
The J&K Assembly unanimously condemned the April 22 massacre and passed a resolution denouncing terrorism and foreign-sponsored violence.
As cross-border tensions show no sign of de-escalating, India remains firm in its stand: “Zero tolerance to terrorism”, backed by operational freedom for its armed forces.