Amid escalating tensions, Pakistani shelling kills top Jammu and Kashmir official

New Delhi (India) May 10: During Pakistani firing in the Rajouri area of Jammu and Kashmir early on Saturday, a senior government officer was killed and two of his employees suffered major wounds.

Officials report that Raj Kumar Thapa, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Rajouri, was gravely wounded when an artillery round hit his home in Rajouri town. The tragedy also seriously harmed two of his employees.

After the three were taken to Government Medical College, Thapa passed away from his injuries. According to authorities, the other two are still in severe condition.

Omar Abdullah, the chief minister, expressed his sadness at Thapa's passing.

"Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired.”

"Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace," the chief minister said in a post on X.

Around 5:30 in the morning, a shell struck Thappa's home. After hearing many explosions, he had come out of his residence and went back in. Thappa's room was hit by the shell.

The death of Mr. Thappa "deeply saddened" BJP leader Ravinder Raina. He said that, "He was very daring and a people-friendly officer who served the nation and society with utmost sincerity," 

Since morning, loud explosions have been heard in several locations around the Jammu and Kashmir border area, which is reportedly under full-scale attack.

Hours after Pakistani military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said that India had hit three military bases in Jammu and Kashmir, residents of a number of cities in the region stayed awake because of loud explosions on Saturday morning. He made the statements at a quickly scheduled press conference on Saturday morning, but he offered no proof to back them up.

The following cities reported loud explosions this morning: Rajouri, Udhampur, Jammu, and Srinagar. There were additional reports of heavy bombardment in Akhnoor, Gurez, Uri, Hamirpur, and Pallanwala from the Pakistani side.

Aadrika Tayal