Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. He met with those affected by cross-border shelling orchestrated by Pakistan earlier this month. A Congress official revealed that Rahul Gandhi arrived at Jammu airport in the morning and took a helicopter to Poonch, where he toured areas impacted by the shelling and met with grieving families. The Congress leader also interacted with schoolchildren, offering words of encouragement. Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra accompanied him.
Rahul Gandhi also visited a school in Poonch and spoke with students impacted by the Pakistani shelling. He assured them, 'You've witnessed danger and unsettling situations, but don't worry, everything will return to normal. Combat this challenge through dedicated study, engaging in sports, and making lots of friends in school.' Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra commented on the visit, noting, 'Poonch witnessed the most damage. Rahul Gandhi met with the affected residents and assessed the destruction to their homes.'
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He visited major institutions damaged in the shelling. Rahul Gandhi will also visit the gurdwara and temple hit by Pakistani shelling. Additionally, he plans to visit the homes of children killed in the attacks. The retaliation by India, known as Operation Sindhur, involved precise strikes at nine terrorist strongholds in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, following the Pahalgam massacre, sparking artillery shelling and mortar fire in the Poonch sector.
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Between May 7 and 10, Pakistani shelling, missile, and drone attacks resulted in the deaths of 28 people, with 13 fatalities occurring in Poonch district, and left over 70 injured. Thousands were forced to evacuate from areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, seeking refuge in government relief camps. The military confrontation between India and Pakistan concluded on May 10 following reaching an agreement to de-escalate the situation.
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The recent visit marks the Opposition Leader's second trip to the Union Territory following the gruesome terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 lives, primarily tourists. Previously, on April 25, Rahul Gandhi traveled to Srinagar to visit those injured in the terrorist attacks. During that visit, he also met with Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and several other dignitaries.
