Avinash Azad
In a swift and targeted military response to the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month that claimed 26 lives, including one foreign national, the Indian Defence Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, striking multiple terror camps and launch pads deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), the Press Information Bureau (PIB) reported today.
The operation, which commenced late Monday night, hit nine strategic terror-linked locations, according to official sources. “Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military installations were targeted. India has exercised considerable restraint in both the selection of targets and method of execution,” said the PIB statement.
The move follows the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 Indian tourists and one Nepali national were killed in what authorities described as a “barbaric and premeditated act of terror.” The attack had sent shockwaves across the country and drew widespread condemnation.
Commenting on the strikes, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told PTI, “After the inhuman and barbaric murder of 26 civilians in Pahalgam, it was expected that India would exercise its right to respond in an appropriate and proportional manner. I think the Government of India and Indian Defence Forces have gone out of their way to ensure no civilian or military targets were hit in Pakistan.”
He added, “They have only hit terror bases and launch pads. Unfortunately, reports suggest Pakistan’s response has not been proportionate. It appears they have resorted to targeting civilian populations across the border.”
Abdullah, who chaired a high-level video conference with all District Commissioners along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC), confirmed that authorities were monitoring the situation closely. “We are dealing with the situation as it develops,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also took stock of the situation. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Took stock of the situation in border districts of J\&K UT with all senior administrative, police & district officials including DCs. I’m closely monitoring the situation and the government is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality.”
In a related development, cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces following the Indian airstrikes has left at least seven civilians dead and 38 injured in Poonch and Mendhar sectors. According to Defence PRO Lt Colonel Suneel Baratwal, “During the night of 06-07 May 2025, Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing including artillery shelling from posts across the LoC and IB opposite J&K.”
Sources in Poonch district said six civilians were killed, while one died in Mendhar. Two CRPF personnel were also injured when a shell struck a bus stand in Poonch. Adding to the tension, DW Hindi, quoting AFP, reported that three Indian Air Force jets crashed on Indian soil during the ongoing operation. While the exact cause remains unclear, Indian authorities are expected to issue a detailed statement later today.
In anticipation of further escalation, and as part of a nationwide mock drill directive from the Union Home Ministry, the J&K UT administration has intensified preparedness across border areas. All educational institutions in Jammu region remain closed today. A detailed briefing on Operation Sindoor is expected later in the day by the Indian Armed Forces, officials said.
