Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in Pakistani shelling in the Union Territory.

An additional district development commissioner and 19 villagers were killed in Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu and Baramulla sectors in the past four days after Indian armed forces struck nine terrorist infrastructure targets across the border on May 7 in retaliation to last month's Pahalgam terror attack.

While 12 civilians were killed in Poonch on Wednesday, two others were killed in Uri and Poonch on Friday. Another five civilians, including a senior government officer, lost their lives in Pakistani shelling Saturday morning.

"Deeply pained by the loss of innocent lives due to recent shelling from Pakistan. My Government is taking every possible measure to minimise the hardship of our people," the chief minister said in a post on X.

The post, shared by the office of the chief minister, said while no compensation can ever replace a loved one or heal the trauma caused to the family, as a gesture of support and solidarity, ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to families of all who have deceased.

"We stand with every affected family in this hour of grief," the chief minister said. PTI