Following his visit to areas affected by cross-border shelling in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured the affected residents that the government would provide compensation after completing a thorough damage assessment.
In a statement to reporters, CM Abdullah confirmed that, fortunately, no lives had been lost in the recent shelling incidents. However, significant damage had been caused to public properties, including houses, shops, and a Madrasa. He mentioned that the District Collector was working on assessing the damage, with the process expected to conclude by the end of the day or by tomorrow. Once the assessment was completed, compensation would be provided to the affected people accordingly.
“By God’s grace, we haven’t lost any lives here, but of course, there is a loss of public property like houses, shops, and Madrasa. The District Collector is with us. They will do the damage assessment. The assessment will be completed by today or tomorrow, and then the government will give compensation to the people accordingly,” Omar Abdullah said.
The Chief Minister also addressed the issue of immunity bunkers, stating that they were built but had not been needed for an extended period. He assured that efforts would be made to build individual bunkers in border and LoC areas to enhance safety for residents.
Earlier in the day, CM Abdullah visited the shelling-affected areas of Tangdhar, where he met families who had displayed remarkable courage in the face of adversity. “Visited the shelling-affected areas of Tangdhar and met families who have shown remarkable courage amidst deep pain. Their resilience is inspiring. The government stands shoulder to shoulder with them, their pain will not go unnoticed, and every possible step will be taken to help them rebuild their lives with dignity and renewed hope,” the Office of J-K CM posted on X.
During his visit, the CM also inspected community bunkers in Tangdhar and emphasized the importance of creating more such safe spaces for the people living in border areas. “These structures are a lifeline during moments of crisis. We will ensure the construction of more such safer spaces to protect and support our people living in border areas,” he added.
In addition, CM Abdullah visited the Sub District Hospital in Kupwara, where individuals who had been injured in recent Pakistan shelling were receiving medical treatment.
The recent shelling by Pakistan had caused extensive damage in Kupwara, Uri, and Poonch, impacting homes and religious sites. Despite the destruction, local residents expressed their unwavering support for the Indian Army.
While the region is gradually returning to normalcy after India and Pakistan reached an understanding on the cessation of hostilities, some residents in a border village in the Samba district still reported fears after hearing blasts on Monday night, with splinters hitting one of the houses.
On a national front, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that India’s armed forces had been given full authority to eliminate terrorists. In his address, he emphasized that every terror organization now understands the consequences of targeting India, with Operation Sindoor setting new benchmarks in India’s fight against terrorism.
