Additional District Magistrate killed by Pakistan shelling in J&K's Rajouri

Jammu, May 10 (IANS) A senior civil servant was killed on Saturday in Pakistan shelling on civilian facilities in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

The confirmation about the killing of Rajouri Additional District Development Commissioner came from the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who on X said, "Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district and attended the online meeting I chaired."

"Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace."

Pakistan has launched a massive missile or drone attack on Srinagar airfield and in the retaliatory response two Pakistani jets have been shot down in Srinagar, official sources said.

"The hunt is now on to trace the pilots of these downed Pakistani jets," sources said, although an official confirmation is still awaited.

Pakistan has also hit the Rehari residential area in Jammu city in which a residential house and a number of parked vehicles have been damaged.

Heavy artillery shelling continued on Saturday morning along the Line Of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Indian positions are effectively responding to Pakistan shelling on civilian facilities.

For the last three days, Pakistan had been carrying out drone strikes in Jammu and Kashmir.

Most of those drones were neutralised by the air defence system.

Two loud blasts occurred in Srinagar on Saturday morning while three massive blasts were heard in Akhnoor town of Jammu division.

The Police Lines in Poonch came under direct attack, though no casualties were reported on the Indian side in that specific incident.

Civilian homes, schools, and religious sites, including a gurdwara, a mosque, and a Geeta Bhawan, have sustained severe damage.

Over the past few days, at least 16 innocent lives have been lost, including women and children, with 59 others injured across the affected regions, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Mendhar.

The shelling has caused widespread panic, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate to safer areas.

Markets in Poonch have shut down, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch remain closed.

A complete blackout was enforced in Jammu on Friday evening.

Authorities have closed all schools, colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the situation would be reviewed on May 12.

All civil flights have been suspended from Srinagar airport after the Air Force took over the airport.

All Haj flights from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia have also remained suspended during the last three days.

--IANS

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