The devastating Pakistani shelling on unarmed and unprotected civilians, which shamed humanity, has turned the border town of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir into a land of tragedies and painful stories.
The heavy artillery and mortar shelling on the intervening night of May 6 and 7 in this small town near the Line of Control (LoC) not only destroyed homes but also shattered the lives of many families forever.
Among the worst affected were Rameez Khan and his wife Urusa Khan, whose 12-year-old twins, Aruba and Ayan, died a painful death. Similarly, 13-year-old Vihaan Bhargava, the only son of Sanjeev Kumar Bhargava, also lost his life in the shelling.
Vihaan's Death: A Father's Broken Heart
In the same shelling, 13-year-old Vihaan Bhargava became one of the victims. Sanjeev and his family were fleeing towards Jammu in search of safety that fateful night when their vehicle came under Pakistani fire. Vihaan died on the spot—a loss that has devastated the family. He was their only son, and their grief is immeasurable.
As soon as the shelling began, the terrified family decided to rush to Jammu. Traveling by car, they hoped to escape the violence, but fate had something cruel in store.
When their vehicle reached the Khanater area, a shell struck a nearby rock, and the splinters hit Vihaan, who was sitting in the middle seat of the car's back row. The family immediately rushed him to the district hospital in Poonch, where he was declared dead.
Inside the car, Vihaan's mother sat on his right, and on his left was his paternal aunt, along with her child. Miraculously, the others escaped unhurt—only Vihaan fell victim to the deadly strike.
Death of Twins: A Family's Dreams Shattered
Rameez Khan and Urusa Khan had moved into a rented house in Poonch city just two months ago, hoping to secure a better future for their children. Their 12-year-old twins, Aruba and Ayan, had recently started school and had celebrated their birthday just last month.
But on the morning of May 7, when the Pakistani army opened indiscriminate fire on residential areas of Poonch, tragedy struck. Both children were killed within minutes of each other in a mortar attack. Their father, Rameez Khan, was seriously injured and is now battling for his life in the ICU at the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu. He suffered severe liver damage due to shrapnel wounds. To protect him from mental trauma, the family has not yet informed him about the children's deaths.
Poonch: City of Tragedy
The shelling that began on the night of May 6 turned Poonch into a city of mourning. The Pakistani army targeted residential areas, schools, and places of worship, killing at least 13 to 15 civilians and injuring 59 others. Among the dead were four minor children. Public places such as the Poonch bus stand and Christ School were also damaged. In response, the Indian Army delivered a strong counterattack, destroying several Pakistani posts and inflicting casualties on their soldiers.
Government Response and Compensation
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh and a government job for the next of kin of each deceased. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also met the injured in the hospital and assured them of all possible assistance.
Tense Atmosphere
The shelling is believed to be in retaliation for India's 'Operation Sindoor,' under which the Indian Army targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoK) following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Tensions between the two nations have peaked since then. Despite a ceasefire declared on May 10, fear and anxiety continue to grip Poonch and surrounding areas. Locals say they have not witnessed such intense shelling since the 1971 war.
