Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inspected community bunkers in Tangdhar and visited the shelling-hit areas in Kupwara that have suffered extensive damage due to cross-border firing. During the on-ground inspection on Tuesday (May 13), Mr Abdullah walked through community bunkers, witnessed destruction, spoke to locals and heard stories of survival, and ensured support in rebuilding.
This came as normalcy returns to border areas of Jammu and Kashmir after days of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Mr Abdullah was seen walking inside the community bunker with his phone’s flashlight turned on.
Bunkers are designed to protect people or items from falling bombs or other attacks. NDTV’s ground report showed that community bunkers with a capacity of 10 people hosted 20-25 people during the India-Pakistan attack.
Locals have raised the need for individual bunkers so that more people can move to safety in times of crisis. Mr Abdullah, who supported the demand, said that new bunkers haven’t been built in years because there hasn’t been a requirement.
The government will prepare a scheme to establish new bunkers for people living near the Line of Control (LoC) and border areas, he said, while speaking to the media.
“We will ensure the construction of more such safer spaces to protect and support our people living in border areas,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Inspected community bunkers in Tangdhar. These structures are a lifeline during moments of crisis. We will ensure the construction of more such safer spaces to protect and support our people living in border areas. pic.twitter.com/0i2CNowaT6
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) May 13, 2025
Mr Abdullah also visited the sub-district hospital in the village of Tangdhar and met the doctors and staff who stood firm in the face of the crisis.
“Hospitals in border areas will be further strengthened and equipped to effectively handle emergencies in future,” he said.
Visited SDH Tangdhar and met the doctors and staff who stood firm in the face of crisis, saving lives without
thinking of their own.
Hospitals in border areas will be further strengthened and equipped to effectively handle emergencies in future. pic.twitter.com/nu0zcFX4zh— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) May 13, 2025
The Chief Minister noted that while no life was lost in Kupwara’s Tangdhar, the village witnessed the loss of public property, including houses, shops, and Madrasa.
Sharing pictures of “heartbreaking” destruction from Tangdhar, Mr Abullah said he saw homes and vehicles charred by relentless shelling. “Standing with the affected families in this hour of grief. We will do everything possible to support them and help rebuild what has been lost,” he wrote on X.
During my visit to Tangdhar today, I saw homes and vehicles lay charred by relentless shelling. The scale of destruction is heartbreaking.
Standing with the affected families in this hour of grief. We will do everything possible to support them and help rebuild what has been… pic.twitter.com/3jH7GXKq2d— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) May 13, 2025
Mr Abdullah said the government will compensate people once the damage assessment is completed.
India launched Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, in reply to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, including a local and a Nepali citizen, were killed. India unleashed 24 missiles in 25 minutes on nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). This was followed by cross-border firing, which caused damage across Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Tangdhar and other border areas.