Jammu, May 10 – Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced an ex-gratia relief of ₹10 lakh each to the families of those killed in recent Pakistani shelling across the Union Territory.
The announcement comes in the wake of intensified cross-border hostilities that erupted after Indian armed forces launched precision strikes on nine terrorist infrastructure targets across the border on May 7. These retaliatory actions were in response to last month’s terror attack in Pahalgam.
19 Dead in Four Days of Escalation
According to official reports, 19 people, including an Additional District Development Commissioner and several civilians, lost their lives over the past four days in various border sectors — Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu, and Baramulla.The worst-hit region was Poonch, where 12 civilians were killed on Wednesday. On Friday, two more individuals lost their lives in Uri and Poonch. Saturday morning saw the death of five additional civilians, among them a senior government officer, due to renewed shelling by Pakistani forces.
CM’s Message of Solidarity
Taking to social media platform X, Chief Minister Abdullah expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of life.He further emphasized that while no amount of financial compensation can replace a loved one or ease the trauma of bereaved families, the ₹10 lakh ex-gratia is a gesture of solidarity and support.
The state government is also reportedly taking measures to enhance safety in vulnerable border areas amid fears of further escalation.
