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Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Shattered lives, fragile peace in shell-shocked Poonch
The world may have moved on since the India-Pakistan conflict a fortnight ago, but for families who lost their loved ones in the cross-border shelling in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, time stands still, hanging heavy with grief. Poonch sector witnessed heightened artillery shelling after India carried out precise strikes under Operation Sindoor on nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack. As many as 28 people were killed in Jammu and Kashmir between May 7 and 10 of which 16, including four children, died in Poonch district alone. 'Peace is fragile here. Fear is constantly lurking. It will take more time for us to return to the life we led before the conflict. Those who lost their loved ones in the cross-border shelling are still in a state of shock,' says Manmohan Singh, 60, a local resident who has retired as head of the department from the District Institute of Education and Training. His cousin, Amrik Singh, an ex-serviceman, was killed in the shelling on May 7. Victims yet to resume school 'Markets have opened and so have schools but my cousin's children haven't resumed their studies. Amrik has two school-going daughters and a son. He was the sole breadwinner. Relatives and friends are still visiting them to mourn his death,' says Manmohan Singh. He recalls how another Sikh resident, Ranjeet Singh, 40, was killed along with Amrik Singh on the fateful day. 'Ranjeet was a bachelor and stayed with his elderly parents. Who will look after them?' he says. The Poonch district administration was prompt in transferring an immediate ex-gratia relief of ₹6 lakh each to next of kin of the deceased from the Red Cross Fund. During his visit, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha announced an additional ₹10 lakh and a government job to a family member of those killed. Officials are conducting a survey seeking details of deaths, injuries, damage to property and crops for subsequent government action and rehabilitation. Parents haven't eaten properly But the families are left with a vacuum no government or official can fill or compensate. Arun Kumar, a government teacher, who lost his 13-year-old nephew, Vihaan Bhargav, in the Pakistani shelling on May 7, says, 'My brother, Sanjeev Kumar, and his wife, Rashmi, have not been able to come to grips with the tragedy. They haven't eaten properly since they lost their only child.' Vihaan was Class 8 student of Christ School in Poonch. 'They lived in Dungus Mohalla. The family was fleeing Poonch in their car when it was hit by a Pakistani shell at Bhainch. The boy suffered head injuries and died on the spot,' he says. 'What will they do with the compensation and government job? They have lost their only hope,' he says in a choked voice. Sarfraz Mir, a professor at the Government Degree College in Poonch, lost his cousins, Ayan and Aruba, 13, the same morning. The twins were also students of Christ School. 'Their father, Rameez Khan, is my uncle. They used to live at Kulhani village, 12km from Poonch town. Since Ayan and Aruba had to travel the distance daily to Christ School, we insisted they shift to the town. They rented an accommodation near the school only three months ago. Who could have imagined this? They were born on the same day and died the same day,' he says. Mother's unparalleled courage Rameez Khan, a librarian, who was also injured in the shelling, is still undergoing treatment at Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu. He along with his wife, Ursha Khan, a government teacher, were fleeing with the children when a shell exploded at the gate of their rented accommodation. Though Ursha escaped unhurt, her life was shattered in an instant. 'My aunt's courage is unparalleled. She buried her two children at the Kulhani village graveyard around 11.30am on May 7 itself and kept it a secret from her husband for nearly 10 days as he was battling for life in hospital. Every time he enquired about the children, she told him they were safe with their grandparents,' Mir says. It was only after Rameez Khan recovered from multiple surgeries and was declared to be out of danger did she break down and tell him about the tragedy in hospital three days ago. 'Their world has been shattered. This job and compensation are meaningless for them,' he says. Meanwhile, residents have built makeshift bunkers in the vicinity of their houses in seven villages of Dhara Dhulian, Krishna Ghati, Jhallas, Gulpur, Digwar, Shahpur and Guntrian along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch without waiting for any government help.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Schools in Poonch, the worst-hit in military confrontation, reopen to only 16% attendance
With 23 schools in ruins and four children dead in mortar shelling of Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir's frontier district of Poonch — the worst-affected in the recent India-Pakistan military confrontation — on Monday (May 19, 2025) reopened educational institutes. However, around 16% of students attended classes as fear remains palpable in the district that saw heavy nightlong shelling for several days. All 1,391 schools with around 95,000 students, including high and higher secondary schools, reopened after a gap of 13 days in Poonch, which saw over 14 civilian deaths and injuries to dozens in the recent Pakistan shelling. 'Attendance was on the lower side. Many families which migrated may not have returned to their homes yet. In remote areas, students would not be knowing about reopening of schools. We just recorded 10 to 16% attendance of students on day one,' Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, Chief Education Officer of Poonch, told The Hindu. At least 14 children were hit by Pakistani shelling and firing in Poonch after India carried out attacks inside Pakistan on May 7 in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which left 26 civilians dead. Four children under the age of 15 died in the shelling, who included a brother-sister duo, Ayan and Zoya (12). Maryam Khatoon (7) from Poonch's Qazi Mohra area was one of the youngest to get killed in the military conflict. The students and staff at the Christ School, Poonch, observed a two-minute silence to mourn the tragic deaths of Ayan and Zoya. Many schools could not be fully functional because of the damages inflicted by the shelling. 'Two schools were completely destroyed in the shelling in Poonch's Mankote tehsil,' Mr. Shah said. WhatsApp groups To dissipate fear among students, principals and school heads appealed to students not to pay heed to social media rumours. Several school WhatsApp groups have been activated to motivate students to rejoin schools. 'We have already started online classes for Class 11-12. We will reach out to students to ensure they attend the classes now,' Mr. Shah added. Many students of the high school in Khari Karmara, Poonch, made video appeals, urging students to rejoin the classes. 'It has been around two weeks since we could not attend the classes. We have not met our classmates since then. We appeal to our classmates to rejoin classes now,' a high school student said in a video message. However, many parents said they decided against sending their wards to school because they still feel insecure and saw the current ceasefire between the two countries as 'fragile'. 'Our children are safe only when there is a permanent ceasefire agreement. Every time there is a loud bang, we rush to hide ourselves,' said Zahoor Malik, a parent, who shifted to winter capital Jammu after Poonch was rained by Pakistan shelling. The administration decided to reopen classes a day after the Indian Army clarified that there was no expiry date to the ceasefire agreement. Besides Poonch, schools in border areas of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Udhampur also reopened, marking a significant step towards restoring normalcy in the region after days of tension along the Pakistan border, officials said.
India Gazette
14-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Mehbooba Mufti meets families of civilians killed in Pakistan shelling in Poonch
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] May 14 (ANI): PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday met families of victims who were killed in Poonch in shelling by Pakistan on unarmed civilians. Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir, hitting a Gurdwara in Poonch and the homes of Sikh community members. At least three individuals were killed in that particular attack. Pakistan's escalatory action, following India's precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, caused huge suffering to civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani shelling caused panic among villagers and damaged several houses. Visuals showed damaged civilian infrastructure, shattered window panes, cracked walls, and debris scattered across the lanes of the village. Pakistan shelling also targeted a school and two students lost their lives. If there were students inside there could have been a heavy loss of innocent lives. During heavy shelling across the Line of Control in the early morning of May 7, a shell fired from Pakistan landed just behind the Christ School, run by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, a congregation in Poonch. The shell fired from Pakistan hit the home of two students of the Christ School. Both students unfortunately lost their lives and their parents were severely injured. Another Pakistani shell struck a Christian Convent of Nuns belonging to the congregation of the Mother of Carmel, damaging water tanks and destroying solar panel infrastructure. Several priests, nuns, school staff and local residents took refuge in an underground hall beneath the Christ School during the shelling by Pakistan. President of Poonch District Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee Narinder Singh said on May 7 that Pakistan Army's shelling has caused huge damage in civilian areas of Poonch, leading to several deaths and a shell hit a corner of Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, He said one shell hit Geeta Bhawan and one shell hit a mosque also, killing a teacher in the mosque. 'Our neighbour has no sense at all, has made a huge attack on civilians. Civilians have suffered huge damage,' Narinder Singh said in a self-made video. He urged the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Centre to make efforts so that situation improves. Narinder Singh said locals were in panic and many had left their residences. 'Nearly 12 people have died in Poonch district due to cross-border shelling... In Poonch proper five people of the Sikh community and rest from the Muslim community have died. A shell hit one corner of our Gurudwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, because of which one door and a few glasses were it is a congested area, one shell has hit Geeta Bhawan and one shell hit a mosque also, killing one teacher in the mosque,' Narinder Singh said. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal strongly condemned the inhuman attack by Pakistani forces on the sacred Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch. Condemning the inhuman attack, Badal stated that three Sikhs have lost their lives. The SAD leader expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and demanded adequate compensation to support them in their time of grief. 'Strongly condemn the inhuman attack by Pakistani forces on the sacred Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch, in which three innocent Gursikhs, including Bhai Amrik Singh Ji (a raagi Singh), Bhai Amarjeet Singh and Bhai Ranjit Singh lost their lives. The Shiromani Akali Dal expresses complete solidarity with the families of the deceased Gursikhs and prays for peace for the departed and courage for their friends and loved ones,' he had said in a post on X. 'We demand that the martyrs be honored for their sacrifice and that the bereaved families receive adequate compensation to support them in their time of grief. The Sikhs have always been, and will continue to be, the sword arm of the country. We stand like a rock with our armed forces. Although the Shiromani Akali Dal and our country stand for peace, if our honor is challenged by the enemy, we need no reminder to fulfill our patriotic duties,' Badal added. India's precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure came in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. The government had said that the perpetrators will face severe punishment and over 100 terrorists were killed in Operation Sindoor. Indian Armed Forces effectively repelled Pakistan's subsequent military aggression and pounded several airbases in Pakistan. The two countries have now reached an understanding to stop firing and military action after Pakistan DGMO reached out to his Indian counterpart. (ANI)
News18
14-05-2025
- News18
Born Together, Died Together: Poonch Twins Killed In Pakistan Shelling
Last Updated: Urba and Zain were among the 27 fatalities, including security personnel, resulting from the intense shelling. Their father, Rameez, sustained grave injuries in the same incident Born just five minutes apart on April 25, 2014, twelve-year-old twins Urba Fatima and Zain Ali from the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir shared an inseparable bond. From their earliest days, the brother and sister were constant companions, navigating life side-by-side. Tragically, in the early hours of May 7, this close connection extended even to their deaths, as they were killed within moments of each other by cross-border shelling from Pakistan. 'They died within minutes of each other," their maternal uncle, Adil Pathan, recounted to The Indian Express. Urba and Zain were among the 27 fatalities, including security personnel, resulting from the intense shelling in Jammu and Kashmir. Their father, Rameez, a teacher, sustained grave injuries in the same incident. The deadly shelling occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following a terror attack that claimed 26 lives. On the same day as the twins' deaths, May 7, India launched retaliatory strikes targeting terrorist sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. Originally hailing from Kalai village, about 10 km from Poonch town, the twelve-year-old twins Urba and Zain had recently relocated with their parents, Rameez (47) and Ursha Khan (in her 40s), to a rented house in Poonch just two months prior, seeking better educational opportunities at Christ School where they were in Class 4 and had recently celebrated their birthday, according to their uncle Adil. The twins and their father, Rameez, were the first to emerge, Adil recounted. It was at that moment that a shell struck nearby, instantly killing Urba and Zain and severely injuring Rameez. Amidst the chaos of people fleeing for safety, Adil managed to get all three into his vehicle and rushed them to the Poonch district hospital, where the young twins were tragically declared dead. First Published: May 14, 2025, 11:32 IST
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Indian Express
Twins killed, husband gravely injured – In Poonch, shelling tears family asunder
Ever since they were born five minutes apart on April 25, 2014, twelve-year-old twins Urba Fatima and Zain Ali from Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch had been practically inseparable – always looking out for each other, playing and going to school together. In the early hours of May 7, their lives — always so closely intertwined — were tragically cut short in the cross-border shelling from Pakistan. 'They died within minutes of each other,' their maternal uncle Adil Pathan tells The Indian Express. Urba and Zain were among the 27 – including security personnel — victims of the shelling in Jammu and Kashmir while their father, Rameez – a teacher at Government Higher Secondary School at Mandi in Poonch district — was gravely injured. Of the total number of deaths, Poonch, the district which was the worst-hit by the shelling, accounts for 16. The shelling came amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the terror attack that killed 26 people – mostly tourists but also a local. On May 7, India launched retaliatory strikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. The firing, according to authorities, has been indiscriminate, hitting not only places of worship but also two madrasas, Zia-ul-Uloom and Anwar-ul-Uloom. Among those killed is a religious teacher. Originally from Kalai village some 10 km from the main district headquarters of Poonch, the twins had moved to a rented accommodation in Poonch two months ago with their parents, father Rameez, 47, and mother Ursha Khan — also in her 40s — for a better school, Adil says. 'The children were studying in Class 4 in Poonch's Christ School and had just celebrated their 12th birthday,' he says. It was Adil who became their first responder. In the early hours of May 7, he got a call that petrified him – it was an SOS call from the twins' calling to ask him to take them away from the town. 'When I got to their rented accommodation at 6.30 am, there was heavy shelling. To save time, I called out to Ursha and her family and asked them to come out,' he says. It was the twins and their father who ran out first, Adil recounts. That was when the shell hit nearby, killing the twins and injuring Rameez. 'Everyone was running for cover. I put all three in my vehicle and took them to the Poonch district hospital, where doctors declared the children dead,' he says. Meanwhile, Rameez's serious injuries prompted doctors at the district hospital to send him to the Government Medical College Hospital at Rajouri — and eventually to Jammu's Government Medical College and Hospital — for specialised treatment. For Ursha, this is a trying time. Having just laid her two children to rest and before she can even fully grieve, she must now attend to Rameez, who regained consciousness on May 10 – the day India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire agreement. 'Rameez still doesn't know about the twins' death. His condition is still serious – there's a shrapnel in his liver,' Adil says. 'Whenever he asks, Ursha tells him that the kids are at their nani's (grandmother's).' Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who visited Poonch town Monday to assess the damage caused by the shelling, admired the spirit of unity and communal harmony in the border town during the crisis. Referring to the expanding threat of cross-border shelling, he said: 'For the first time, even the old quarters of Jammu have been affected. We are now forced to contemplate building bunkers in the city — something previously unimaginable'.
