Year after Operation Sindoor: Scars of shelling linger in Poonch

In a report published on May 7, 2026, families affected by the shelling recounted ongoing grief and trauma a year after the attacks. Sanjeev Kumar described the lasting pain, keeping his son Vihaan’s sketches in his room, and urged the government to build a memorial for those who died in Poonch. Other families described lost livelihoods and damage to homes, and urged safety measures such as shelters.

Shelling spanning from the night of May 6 through May 10 left destruction across Poonch; by then, 16 people in Poonch district had died, part of 28 people killed in shelling across the border during Operation Sindoor.

Shahida Kouser’s husband Mohammad Abr Malik, a driver and sole breadwinner, was killed in the shelling on May 8 in Mandi tehsil, leaving Shahida with three school-age children and a damaged home.

Around 10:30 a.m. on May 7, a shell exploded near the Kumar family’s car as they tried to flee Poonch via Khanetar. Sanjeev Kumar’s 14-year-old son Vihaan died hours later from injuries sustained in the attack.

During the four days of Operation Sindoor, shelling from across the border began in Poonch. Authorities estimated about 200 mortar shells were fired over two days, with 28 people killed across the border and 16 killed in Poonch district.