The intense shelling from across the border started shortly after Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to avenge the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead

The officials said the Indian Army is responding to the shelling in a befitting manner, resulting in many casualties on the enemy side after several of their posts engaged in firing were destroyed

The worst-hit in the Pakistani shelling was Poonch district which accounted for all the civilian deaths, the officials said, adding 28 persons were also injured and the condition of some of them was stated to be critical

The indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan created panic among the border residents who were forced to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer places within or outside their villages, the officials said

The shelling was reported from all along the LoC in Poonch, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters, resulting in damage to dozens of residential houses, they said

The officials identified the deceased as Balvinder Kour alias "Ruby" (33), Mohd Zain Khan (10), his elder sister Zoya Khan (12), Mohd Akram (40), Amrik Singh (55), Mohd Iqbal (45), Ranjeet Singh (48), Shakeela Bi (40) and Amarjeet Singh (47)

Ten persons, including five minor children were also injured in cross-border shelling in Uri sector of Baramulla district, while three others were injured in Rajouri district, the officials said, adding several houses also caught fire due to shelling in Karnah sector of Kupwara district

Earlier, a defence spokesman said during the intervening night of May 6 and 7, the Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the LoC and International Border opposite Jammu and Kashmir

He said the Indian Army is responding in a "proportionate manner"