SRINAGAR, May 7: All government and private schools across Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district will remain closed on Thursday, May 8, following escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC). The directive was issued by the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Poonch as a precautionary measure in light of ongoing cross-border shelling.
The situation deteriorated after India launched a series of missile strikes on Pakistani targets under Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory action in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead, including several tourists.
Reports earlier today confirmed that at least 12 civilians — including four children and two women — lost their lives in intensified shelling from across the border. More than 50 others were injured, and extensive damage to residential properties has been reported in the districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, and Kupwara.
Authorities have initiated large-scale evacuations from vulnerable border villages and are providing temporary shelter and essential supplies to displaced families. Emergency services, including medical teams and logistical support units, have been deployed to affected areas.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha convened separate high-level meetings to assess the situation and oversee relief efforts. Both leaders have assured swift disbursement of contingency funds and continued monitoring of the ground situation.
