J-K: Shops damaged, locals suffer losses due to shelling by Pakistan

BARAMULLA(Jammu and Kashmir): As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, the locals of border villages across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir bear the brunt of the situation.

In Uri district, locals remain in distress as they suffer damage to their livelihood. Several shops in the border village have been targeted in Pakistan’s shelling across the LoC.

A civilian said, “Those who have means or places would go there. But we are poor. Where would we go? The shelling must stop.”

Sajjad Ahmed, a resident of the border village, stood before the remains of his shop and said that the shelling by Pakistan was target killing of civilians, and it was “injustice” to them.

“After we closed our shop last night, shelling started. This morning I saw that my shop is completely damaged. This is very painful. This is like the target killing of civilians. We are facing injustice. I have lost nearly 8-10 lakh (rupees). There’s nothing left here. I had come to see what I could save, but there is nothing left,” Ahmed said.

#WATCH | Jammu & Kashmir | Residents of a border village along the LoC suffer as their shops get damaged in shelling by Pakistan pic.twitter.com/ibXd6Bh9OT

— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2025

This comes as India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads against each other after terrorist camps were destroyed at nine locations in the neigbouring country under Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the ghastly Pahalgam terrorist attack.

On Thursday, a complete blackout was enforced in Jammu after sirens were heard and explosions were reported near the Loc in Poonch and Rajouri districts, amid rising tensions in the region.

The Border Security Forces (BSF) foiled a major infiltration attempt along the International Border in the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The attempt was made around 11 pm on May 8. In a post on X, BSF Jammu wrote, “At around 2300 hours on 8 May 2025, BSF foiled a major infiltration bid at the International Boundary in Samba district, J&K.”

Additionally, defence sources confirmed that the Indian Army shot down two Pakistani drones in the Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The drones were intercepted amid a heavy exchange of artillery fire between Indian and Pakistani forces.

According to Indian officials, the strikes targeted infrastructure linked to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The operation was carried out in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. (ANI)