In the village of Salamabad, located barely ten kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, the aftermath of recent artillery fire from across the border paints a grim picture. Two civilian homes have been obliterated by Pakistani shelling, with four people injured in the incident, including two children. All four have been evacuated to the district hospital in Baramulla, approximately 40 kilometres away.

A dense cloud of smoke still hangs over the ruins, evidence of fires still smouldering long after the shells landed. The signs of artillery impact are clear. Shrapnel has torn through metal rooftops and fragmented concrete walls. NDTV, speaking to locals on the ground, learned that at least one shell appeared to have exploded in the air, spreading white-hot metal shards in all directions. Twisted utensils, collapsed roofs, and damaged interiors, the destruction of these houses is near-total.

“Four people live in this house,” said an elderly man, pointing at charred ruins. “Two children, a 13-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, were injured when, around 2 am, a Pakistani artillery shell fell on the house.”

This damage occurred in a civilian settlement with no military presence. Local residents reiterated that the nearest army brigade is several kilometres behind the site of the shelling. “We are not soldiers. We are farmers. We have families here,” one elderly villager said. “Where will we go?”