3 innocent civilians killed as Pakistan resorts to arbitrary firing, shelling across LoC and IB

JAMMU: Three innocent civilians lost their lives after the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing, including artillery shelling, from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) opposite Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army said on Tuesday night.

The incident occurred during the night of May 6-7, when Pakistani forces indiscriminately opened fire on civilian areas. The Indian Army stated that it is responding in a “proportionate manner” to the unprovoked aggression.

“During the night of 06-07 May 2025, the Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling from posts across the Line of Control and IB opposite J&K. Three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing/shelling. Indian Army are responding in a proportionate manner,” the Army said in an official statement.

This ceasefire violation came just hours after India conducted precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

According to a CNN report, the strikes marked India’s deepest incursion into Pakistan’s undisputed territory since the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. The report stated that this was New Delhi’s most significant military action within Pakistani territory in over five decades.

CNN, citing Pakistani sources, reported that India targeted five locations–three in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and two in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The locations struck in Punjab were identified as Ahmadpur East and Muridke.

However, credible sources told ANI that Indian Armed Forces successfully struck nine terror targets in total–four inside Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in PoJK–using special precision munitions in a coordinated operation.

The operation was jointly carried out by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, with the mobilisation of assets and troops. Sources confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi monitored Operation Sindoor throughout the night. All nine targets were successfully hit, the sources added.

The Indian forces selected these targets to eliminate top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders involved in orchestrating terrorist activities in India.

CNN also noted that the last time India struck inside Pakistan’s undisputed territory was in 2019, following a suicide car bomb attack in Pulwama that killed over 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.

Meanwhile, in the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK that was being used to plan and direct attacks against India, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

“Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution,” the statement added.

According to the Ministry, the strikes were carried out in response to the “barbaric” terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national were killed. The government said it is committed to holding those responsible accountable.

Precision strike weapon systems from all three services, including loitering munitions, were used in the operation. The coordinates were provided by intelligence agencies, and the strikes were launched entirely from Indian soil.

Despite India’s targeted and calibrated response, Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement again just hours after the strikes by firing artillery in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bhimber Gali area.

“The Indian Army is responding appropriately in a calibrated manner,” officials confirmed.

In a post on X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) wrote: “Pakistan again violates the Ceasefire Agreement by firing artillery in Bhimber Gali in the Poonch-Rajouri area. Indian Army is responding appropriately in a calibrated manner.” (ANI)