In the early hours of Saturday, Rajouri town in Indian-administered Kashmir came under intense shelling from Pakistan, resulting in the tragic deaths of Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Raj Kumar Thapa and two civilians.
The 55-year-old ADDC Thapa was inside his residence in Rajouri when the attack occurred. A direct hit on the roof caused fatal injuries to him, as confirmed by Indian officials.
Reports from BBC, The Indian Express, and other media outlets mentioned that two civilians also lost their lives in the shelling in Jammu city, with their identities yet to be disclosed. Explosions were heard in various areas during the early morning, prompting Indian forces to initiate lockdowns and clearance operations.
Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, expressed shock and sorrow on social media platform X over the loss of the dedicated administrative officer from Rajouri. Just yesterday, Thapa accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister on a tour of the region and participated in an online meeting hosted by Abdullah.
“Today, his residence was attacked by Pakistani shelling, resulting in Mr. Thapa’s martyrdom. I am at a loss for words to express the shock and grief at this moment, may his soul rest in peace,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah further urged the public to stay indoors, remain calm, and not spread unverified information, emphasizing solidarity in facing the challenges together.
On Saturday, the Indian Ministry of Defence held a press conference in New Delhi, announcing that in response to Pakistan’s early morning attack, Indian forces have initiated “effective counterattacks” inflicting substantial damage on Pakistani military facilities.
According to Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Pakistan carried out drone strikes and heavy weapon attacks on the Kashmir border and launched missiles at Indian Air Force bases in Punjab. Some of the attacks affected medical and educational institutions.
She noted that there are signs of Pakistani forces gathering at the frontline, indicating intentions to escalate operations further. Indian forces are currently maintaining a high level of operational readiness, stressing that all hostile actions are receiving “proportional responses.”
Pakistan has yet to respond to the aforementioned claims.