Fresh Wave of Pakistani Shelling and Drone Attacks Leave 6 Dead, Border Regions on High Alert
Over 1.10 lakh people evacuated from Kashmir’s border districts amid rising Indo-Pak conflict
Jammu/Pathankot, May 10 — A fresh wave of mortar shelling and drone strikes by Pakistan has resulted in the deaths of six individuals and left several others injured, including eight Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, plunging India’s border districts into crisis and forcing over one lakh residents to evacuate their homes.Casualties and Injuries Across Jammu & Kashmir
Pakistan’s shelling on Saturday morning targeted villages and towns along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB), with the most severe damage reported in Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, and surrounding areas.- Eight BSF personnel were injured in heavy shelling in R S Pura sector of Jammu.
- In Rajouri, Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thapa succumbed to injuries after an artillery shell struck his official residence. Two of his staff members were also seriously injured.
- Subedar Major Pawan Kumar of Himachal Pradesh lost his life when an artillery shell exploded near his post in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch.
- A two-year-old girl, Aisha Noor, and Mohd Shohib (35) were killed in shelling near an industrial area in Rajouri. Three others were injured.
- Rashida Bi (55) died after a mortar shell hit her house in Kanghra-Galhutta village of Mendhar sector.
- In Bidipur Jatta village, Ashok Kumar alias Shoki was killed in cross-border firing.
- Zakir Hussain (45) died in Kheri Keran village, located on the outskirts of Jammu, and two others including a minor girl were injured.
- A local journalist was injured in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri.
Drone and Projectile Attacks Spread Across States
The Pakistani military escalated its offensive with a second night of drone strikes, targeting 26 locations across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.Punjab:
- Debris of unidentified projectiles was found in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Pathankot, and Tarn Taran.
- In Rajubela Chhichhran village (Gurdaspur), a massive 35-foot-wide crater was discovered.
- In Phagwara, an explosion-like sound was heard around 2:40 a.m., creating a 12-14 feet wide crater in a field.
- In Jalandhar, a migrant laborer was injured and homes were damaged when an unidentified projectile landed in Kanganiwal village.
Rajasthan:
- A high alert was declared in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Sri Ganganagar.
- Drone attacks in Jaisalmer and Barmer were intercepted by Indian defence forces.
- Debris of neutralized drones was found in multiple areas on Saturday morning.
- Residents in Sirsa reported hearing blast-like sounds after midnight.
Evacuations and Government Response
Authorities reported that approximately 1.10 lakh people from Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara districts in Kashmir have been relocated to safer zones. Residents are fleeing their homes as Pakistani shells continue to damage houses and public buildings.Government and security officials have urged the public not to approach or touch any suspected debris or unexploded ordnance and to alert local police.
Conflict Escalation and Background
The latest attacks follow Indian precision strikes on Wednesday targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, including the 2,400 km International Border, 740 km Line of Control, and 110 km Actual Ground Position Line in Siachen.
The situation remains tense, with multiple states under high alert and defence forces actively monitoring air and ground activity along the borders.