Rajouri ADC Raj Kumar Thapa Succumbs to Injuries from Pakistani Shelling; CM Omar Abdullah Responds

The Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thappa, was tragically killed in a shelling attack by Pakistan that struck the city early on Saturday morning. The border district in Jammu and Kashmir is reportedly under a full-scale assault, with loud explosions heard in various parts since dawn.

A shell hit Raj Kumar Thappa’s residence at around 5.30 am on Saturday morning(HT)

In response to the heartbreaking news, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his sorrow, stating that the state's administrative services have lost a dedicated officer. He also noted that on Friday, Thappa had accompanied the state's Deputy Chief Minister in Rajouri district and participated in an online meeting chaired by Abdullah.

Abdullah further shared that Thappa died when his residence in Rajouri was hit by Pakistani shelling on Saturday morning.

“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,” Omar Abdullah stated in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Explosions rocked cities throughout Jammu and Kashmir

Loud explosions were reported in Srinagar and Jammu early Saturday morning as tensions between India and Pakistan intensified.

Several powerful explosions were heard in Jammu city around 4:30 am, with the city experiencing a complete blackout.

An explosion was also reported in the Dibber area of Udhampur. A video shared by ANI showed rising smoke and the sound of air sirens in the background.

Heavy shelling was reported from the Pakistani side in Akhnoor, Gurez, Uri, Hamirpur, and Pallanwala.

Tensions between the two countries have escalated significantly after the Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes targeting terrorist launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7. These airstrikes were in retaliation for the cross-border attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

Earlier today, Pakistan claimed that Indian missiles and drones had targeted three of its airbases.

Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry held an urgent press conference in Islamabad around 4 am, stating that the Indian strikes targeted Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot, Jhang district) airbases. However, he did not provide any supporting evidence for his claims.

Pakistan also closed its airspace for all flights from 3:15 am to 12:00 pm (local time) on May 10, 2025.

India had previously raised concerns about Pakistan's decision to keep its airspace open during a drone and missile attack that struck multiple Indian cities on Thursday night, endangering civilian lives.

(Source: Hindustan Times, NDTV)