India-Pakistan tensions: J-K govt official, Army JCO among seven killed in Pak shelling in Jammu

Smoke rises from terrorist launch pads in Pakistan after they were destroyed by the Indian Army, near Jammu, on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Seven persons, including a senior Jammu and Kashmir government official and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the army, were killed and over 20 others injured as intense mortar shelling and drone strikes by Pakistan hit the Jammu region on Saturday, officials said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the shelling affected residential localities here and also announced R10 lakh ex-gratia relief for the next of the kin of each killed in the recent cross-border shelling, while police issued helpline numbers and asked people to stay away from debris of fallen UAVs. Residents of Jammu city and other major towns of the division woke up to air raid sirens and deafening sounds of explosions around 5 am, while the border residents spent a sleepless night in the wake of intense shelling from across the border. According to defence officials, Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continued along the western borders on Saturday.

"Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart all enemy designs," they said.

Raj Kumar Thapa, Additional District Development Commissioner, Rajouri, and his two staff members were seriously injured when an artillery shell hit his official residence in Rajouri town, the officials said.

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