Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistani firing along LoC leaves three civilians dead, five hurt

The attack occurred after the Indian Army conducted Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist camps at various locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).

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“Three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing/shelling. The Indian Army are responding in a proportionate manner," the Indian Army said in a statement as quoted by India Today.

Sources told the Indian news channel that an exchange of heavy artillery shelling is still underway along the LoC.

Indian news agency UNI identified the deceased civilians as  Mohammad Adil, Saleem Hussain and Ruby Kour.

School, Colleges To Remain Shut

The office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu on Wednesday said schools, colleges and educational institutes in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain shut cmid the ongoing situation in the region.

"In view of the prevailing situation all School, Colleges & educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed today," the X post said.

Operation Sindoor

The Indian Armed Forces early Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist camps at various locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), to avenge the Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, were killed on April 22.

“A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” the Ministry of Defence said in a media release.

According to a statement by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the operation aimed at neutralizing terror camps actively involved in planning and executing attacks against India. A total of nine sites have been hit during the strike.

Pahalgam Attack

Twenty-six people, including 23 Hindu male tourists, were killed by terrorists in Baisaran meadows, a popular destination in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, on April 22.

The terrorists - belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) - asked the victims to chant Islamic verses (kalma) and made them pull down their pants to be sure of their their non-Muslim religious identities (read circumcision) before gunning them down before their families, including wives and children.

The massacre triggered nationwide outrage and escalated India-Pakistan tensions as New Delhi vowed to avenge the killings.