Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir — Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the border district of Poonch on Friday to meet families affected by recent Pakistani shelling, marking his first trip to the Union Territory since India launched Operation Sindoor.
During his visit, Shah announced that the central government would soon roll out a relief package to support residents whose homes, businesses, and religious sites were damaged during the cross-border attacks.
Accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Delhi Minister Majinder Singh Sirsa, Shah toured several impacted areas, including Gurudwara Singh Sabha, which suffered significant damage. He also met with grieving families, injured residents, and displaced shopkeepers, many of whom have taken shelter in government-run relief camps.
Addressing a gathering in Poonch, Shah strongly condemned Pakistan’s actions, calling the shelling “the worst in Poonch since Independence.” He accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian areas and using non-combatants as human shields.
“This was a highly condemnable act. Pakistan’s forces targeted homes, temples, gurudwaras, and mosques. In response, our forces carried out precise operations against terror infrastructure without causing civilian harm,” he stated.
The recent escalation followed India’s targeted airstrikes on nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, part of Operation Sindoor launched after the Pahalgam terror attack. In retaliation, Pakistan launched a wave of artillery, missile, and drone strikes between May 7 and 10, killing 28 people — 14 in Poonch alone — and injuring over 70 across the region.
Thousands of residents were forced to flee from villages near the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border as hostilities intensified. An understanding to de-escalate was reached between the two countries on May 10 after four days of sustained military confrontation.
On Thursday night, Shah chaired a high-level security review in Jammu to assess the situation and oversee preparations for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.
