In a desperate and brutal reaction to India’s deep strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), the Pakistan Army unleashed heavy shelling on Poonch town and adjoining civilian areas late last night, causing civilian casualties and severe damage to homes, shops, and the historic Gurudwara Singh Sabha.

🌃 Night of Terror

Shelling began around 2 AM, catching residents of Poonch off guard.
“Mortars started raining in Poonch town at 2 AM and continued intermittently till 11 AM,” said a local official.
Police and local volunteers scrambled to evacuate victims amid relentless explosions. “We started shifting the injured to hospitals at midnight, but it was extremely dangerous,” said one police officer.

🕌 Damage to Religious, Civilian Structures

The prominent Gurudwara Singh Sabha and several nearby houses sustained direct hits. Many shops, homes, and other buildings were also damaged.

“This was barbaric and cowardly,” said one resident. “Targeting unarmed civilians is not bravery — it’s desperation.”

Residents described a sleepless night with shells landing close to homes, leaving many families to flee to safer locations or seek shelter with relatives.

⚔️ Indian Army Retaliates

The Indian Army responded swiftly and effectively at all locations along the LoC.
“Pakistan is retaliating to India’s operation by targeting the civilian population,” said Sardar Navneet Singh from Mankote. “They missed the military targets and shelled us heavily overnight, killing our people and injuring many. The damage to our homes is massive.”

📍 Areas Under Fire

• Poonch town
• Mendhar
• Mankote
• Thandi Kassi

The shelling damaged dozens of forward villages and densely populated civilian zones, creating panic across the region.

🌍 Background

The Pakistani attack followed India’s precision ‘Operation Sindoor’, which destroyed nine major terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK, including Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters.

In a forceful retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre, Indian Armed Forces early today destroyed nine terror camps, including key facilities of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), using deep-strike missiles in a 25-minute precision mission.

This was India’s first aerial strike deep inside Pakistan’s Punjab province since the 1971 Indo-Pak war, officials confirmed.

🌍 Mission Highlights

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the military operation, codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’, was a measured, non-escalatory and proportionate response aimed at dismantling terror infrastructure and deterring further attacks.

“Pakistan has taken no demonstrable steps against terrorist infrastructure on its territory. India’s action today is about justice for Pahalgam,” Misri stated.

🎯 Key Targets Destroyed

Among the nine targets:

• Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (over 100 km from the Indian border)
• Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Markaz Taiba, Muridke, near Lahore
• Hizbul Mujahideen’s Mehmoona Joya Facility, Sialkot
• Additional LeT and JeM camps in Muzaffarabad’s Shawai Nalla and Barnala

Indian officials reported complete success at all sites, with no civilian casualties.

👩‍✈️ Women Officers at the Helm

Col Sophia Qureshi (Army Signals Corps) and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh (IAF helicopter pilot) briefed the media, detailing how precision weapons were used to neutralize specific buildings while ensuring minimal collateral damage.

⚔️ Political & Strategic Reactions

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: “Our forces acted with precision, precaution, and compassion. Operation Sindoor was aimed at breaking terrorist morale.”
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar: “The world must adopt zero tolerance for terrorism.”
• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval: Briefed counterparts in the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Russia, and France, emphasizing India’s no-intent-to-escalate stance but readiness to retaliate if provoked.

🛡️ Nation on Alert

Air defence units have been placed on high alert across the western frontier. Meanwhile, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Raising Day saw a public salute to the armed forces’ precision strike.

Amid heightened security measures following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today urged the authorities to ensure that innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir are not subjected to collective punishment. The attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians on April 22, has drawn widespread condemnation across the country and within Kashmir itself.

Speaking to reporters, Abdullah acknowledged the tense atmosphere in the Valley but stressed the need for measured and wise action.

“We are aware of the prevailing atmosphere. It will take time. We cannot shut our eyes to reality, nor can we deny it,” Abdullah said.
“But we must also ensure that, in the process of apprehending those involved in the Pahalgam attack, innocent people are not troubled.”

He emphasized that while arrests and investigations are necessary, the government must avoid creating the impression that the entire population is being punished.

“It should not appear that, in an attempt to catch a few individuals, we are arresting the entire population of J&K,” he warned.

Addressing concerns over the Kulgam incident and reports of arrests across the Valley, Abdullah praised the people of Kashmir for openly condemning the Pahalgam attack.

“For the first time, the people of Kashmir have openly condemned such an attack, expressed their anger, and made it clear that they do not support it. Therefore, they should not be made to feel as though everyone is being punished.”

The Chief Minister also clarified that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) drills at Dal Lake were not linked to the mock drills ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The exercise, he explained, was aimed at improving preparedness following incidents of shikaras capsizing in the lake during recent gusty evening winds.

Mehbooba Mufti Appeals for Release of Innocents

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has written to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and CM Omar Abdullah, urging an end to what she described as “mass retribution” following the attack.

In her letter, Mufti highlighted the “spontaneous and unprecedented” public response from Kashmiris who condemned the attack, observed shutdowns, and joined protests.

“Even in the immediate aftermath of the attack, local Kashmiris rushed to help the injured, transporting them to hospitals and donating blood — not as a favour but as a heartfelt duty toward their fellow citizens,” she wrote.

With the Shri Amarnath Yatra approaching, Mufti appealed to the administration to halt the wave of arrests and punitive measures.

“Let the people of Kashmir breathe easy and prepare to welcome the Yatris with the warmth and hospitality they are well recognized for,” Mufti urged.

⚠️ Background on the Pahalgam Attack

The April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam left 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen dead. The Indian Armed Forces have since launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK.

🗺️ Travel Advisory for Jammu & Kashmir

Due to heightened security operations, travelers are advised to stay updated on official advisories, avoid sensitive border regions, and comply with local guidelines.

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for over seven hours today after heavy rain triggered landslides and mudslides in the Ramban area, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. Meanwhile, one person was killed by lightning in Kashmir amid the severe weather conditions.

Officials reported that flash floods in the Chenab river forced authorities in Reasi and Akhnoor to issue warnings, advising the public to avoid venturing near the riverbanks. The rainfall since last evening also brought a noticeable drop in temperature across the Jammu region.

Due to poor weather and cloud cover, helicopter services to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine from Katra base camp were suspended for much of the day. However, battery cars, cable cars to Bhairon Mandir, and the on-foot pilgrimage continued without disruption.

Vehicular traffic came to a halt from both directions on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway after mudslides at Chamba Seri in Ramban. One lane of the four-lane highway was already blocked, and today’s additional landslides rendered the entire stretch impassable, affecting nearly 100 meters of roadway.

“Please check the status of the road before starting your journey,” a Traffic Police officer advised travelers.

Authorities confirmed that a cloudburst in Chamba Seri triggered the flash floods and mudslides. A landslide around 2:15 pm further blocked the route, though no casualties or injuries were reported. Three to four heavy machines were deployed to clear the debris, and NHAI Project Director, Ramban Sector, PK Phonsa, assured that the highway would be cleared by night.

After intensive efforts, the highway was cleared around 9 pm, allowing over 1,200 stranded vehicles to proceed. Light motor vehicles (LMVs) were first allowed from Jammu, followed by traffic from Kashmir, and finally heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) were cleared.

Today’s incident followed severe weather on April 20, when heavy rain and a cloudburst caused landslides in Ramban, killing three people and damaging numerous houses, shops, and roads. Vehicles buried under debris from that incident are still being recovered.

In addition to highway disruptions, rising water levels in the Chenab river created panic among communities living along its banks. Authorities issued alerts, urging residents to stay away from the river. On Friday, the release of water from the Salal Project led to a rapid rise in the river’s level, prompting warnings across Reasi, Akhnoor, Jourian, Pargwal, and Khour. By evening, the water level at Akhnoor measured 27 feet, approaching the 30-foot alert mark and nearing the 33-foot danger level.

In Kulgam district, a 37-year-old auto driver, Tariq Ahmad Padder of Gansorgam, was killed after being struck by lightning in his village. He was rushed to District Hospital Kulgam but was declared dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, gusty winds and moderate rainfall wreaked havoc in several areas, including a reported uprooted tree near SKICC, causing heavy traffic jams.

Tragedy also struck Dal Lake, where two boats capsized amid strong winds. A Quick Response Team (QRT) of SDRF and Fire & Emergency Department rescued four people, but one person—Tawfeeq Ahmad Chopan, son of Nikka, a resident of Jogi Lanker Rainawari—remains missing. Rescue operations were suspended at night due to darkness and will resume at first light tomorrow.

The severe weather also affected air travel, with two flights diverted due to windstorms. IndiGo flights 6E896/2305 (Delhi-Srinagar-Delhi) and 6E214 (Mumbai-Srinagar-IXJ) were rerouted to Chandigarh and Delhi after failing to land at Srinagar International Airport.

According to Director MeT Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, several central and southern parts of Kashmir received rain this afternoon, and brief showers with thunder and gusty winds are expected at isolated to scattered locations until May 5.