Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir): Civilian areas in Jammu city sustained heavy damage following cross-border shelling by Pakistan early Saturday morning, sparking fear among residents.

BJP MLA from Jammu West, Arvind Gupta, advised residents to sleep on the ground floor for safety.

Arvind Gupta said, "The shelling started at 4 am. At around 5.40 am, I was on the first floor of my house, which is around 50 metres from here. There was a sudden impact, I was a little scared. Three people were injured in the shelling."

He further added that Pakistan lacks the courage for a direct confrontation with the Indian Army and is therefore targeting residential zones.

"The only reason behind the attack on residential areas is to cause panic in Jammu City. I appeal to the people not to gather wherever anything like this happens so that nothing untoward happens there if an attack happens there again. People should sleep on the ground floor. Rajouri ADC too lost his life in the night," he said.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed sorrow over the death of Raj Kumar Thappa, an officer of the J&K Administrative Services. Thappa was killed when his residence in Rajouri was hit during the shelling.

"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 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 wrote in an official post on X.

Shelling by Pakistan caused further damage across Rajouri district, with several houses and properties hit, spreading panic among the local population.

Residents reported a series of explosions and rising smoke across the region.

"One injured person has been brought here. Doctors and the entire team are ready. His treatment began immediately," said Farukh Ahmed Wani, the hospital's security in-charge.

Authorities confirmed that the injured civilian was quickly transported to the hospital. Strikes occurred near the Aap Shambhu Temple in Rajouri, where Jammu Police and other agencies recovered projectile fragments from the site.

Top government sources reported that India retaliated by targeting at least four Pakistani air bases in the early hours of Saturday. The strikes followed Pakistan’s shelling of 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing was still ongoing in several areas along the Line of Control (LoC).