Rajouri-Poonch: Agniveer among 2 killed as Pak shelling continues

Officials identified the deceased as Agniveer M Murali Naik, a resident of Gorantla Mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh, and 30-year-old Ibrar Ahmed, a civilian from Lohil Bella in Mandi tehsil of Poonch.

At least two people, including an Agniveer, were killed and five others injured in Rajouri-Poonch areas as Pakistan continued shelling in key sectors across Jammu and Kashmir, said officials.

A resident inspects his house damaged by Pakistani artillery shelling in Poonch, along the Line of Control, Indian controlled Kashmir on Thursday. (AP)

Since Wednesday, Pakistan has intensified cross-border shelling in the aftermath of India’s Operation Sindoor, precise missile attack at nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Officials identified the deceased as Agniveer M Murali Naik, a resident of Gorantla Mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh, and 30-year-old Ibrar Ahmed, a civilian from Lohil Bella in Mandi tehsil of Poonch.

With these two deaths, the toll of shelling since Wednesday has increased to 15, 13 civilians in Poonch and a soldier each in Poonch and Rajouri.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu paid respects to the fallen soldier on microblogging platform X.

Defence officials said M Murali Naik was injured during heavy shelling from Pakistan on Thursday evening in Naushera sector of Rajouri. “He was taken to a hospital and succumbed this morning. Indian Army retaliated effectively and destroyed four Pakistani posts in Rajouri,” they said.

10 houses damaged

In the fresh shelling, at least 10 houses were damaged in Thandikassi, Gambhir and Dassal areas of Rajouri.

Ibrar was hit by a mortar shell at his house on Friday morning and died on the spot, said a police officer.