India-Pakistan tensions: Army soldier martyred in Pak army shelling in Poonch

In a grave escalation of cross-border hostilities, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the 5 Field Regiment was martyred on Thursday during heavy shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

The shelling, which began late Wednesday night, targeted Indian forward posts and nearby civilian areas, with mortar rounds and artillery fire landing dangerously close to villages. Indian authorities have denounced the act as a blatant ceasefire violation and a deliberate provocation in response to India’s recent anti-terror operations.

The soldier was on active duty at forward positions when he was fatally wounded by incoming fire. According to the Indian Army, Sharma fought bravely until the end, defending the nation’s border against hostile aggression.In an official statement, the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the casualties and extended condolences to the families of the fallen heroes: “Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Field Regiment laid down his life on 07 May during Pakistan Army shelling. We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in Poonch Sector.”

The martyred soldiers, 32-year-old Jawan Dinesh Kumar Sharma, hailed from Mohammadpur village in Palwal, Haryana. He had been serving along the LoC, a high-tension area frequently exposed to Pakistani aggression. Army officials said his dedication and bravery were exemplary.

The shelling came just hours after India carried out precision missile strikes on nine terrorist launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). These strikes, launched during the night of May 6–7 under ‘Operation Sindoor’, were in direct retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead, including a local guide, Syed Adil Hussain Shah.

As news of the soldier’s martyrdom spread, tributes poured in from across the nation. Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini expressed heartfelt condolences and immense pride in the courage of Jawan Dinesh Kumar Sharma. Writing on social media platform X, he said: “In the face of Pakistan’s firing in Poonch this morning after ‘Operation Sindoor’, Haryana’s brave son from Palwal, Jawan Dinesh Kumar Sharma, made the supreme sacrifice. Every citizen of the country is proud of your martyrdom. This nation will never forget your sacrifice. I salute this bravery.”