Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Saturday, May 24, 2025, to meet families affected by the recent Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). His visit comes amid heightened tensions following India’s precision strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’ targeting nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Accompanied by J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra, Rahul Gandhi toured damaged civilian structures, including a gurdwara, a temple, a madrassa, and a missionary school, and interacted with the grieving families and civil society members. He is the first national leader to personally reach out to the victims, emphasizing empathy and support for those displaced by violence.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi landed at Jammu airport and flew to Poonch via helicopter to assess the damage and express solidarity with affected residents. One of the poignant moments of his visit was meeting the family of 13-year-old Vihaan Bhargav, who tragically lost his life when their car was hit by shelling while trying to escape to safety. Addressing the media, Gandhi remarked on the scale of devastation and shared that the victims have raised 2–3 critical concerns that he promises to bring to national attention. His visit follows his earlier trip to Srinagar on April 25 after the Pahalgam terror strike, where he met survivors and engaged with key stakeholders, including the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister, to discuss the fragile security situation in the Union Territory.

Between May 7 and 10, heavy Pakistani artillery shelling killed 28 civilians and injured over 70 across several districts, with Poonch suffering the worst. Thousands of border residents were forced to flee their homes and relocate to government-identified safer zones. Following these events, India and Pakistan’s Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) agreed to a ceasefire on May 12. However, India maintained that while trade and the Indus Water Treaty would remain suspended, the ceasefire would hold only if Pakistan ensures its territory is not used to launch terror attacks against India. Rahul Gandhi’s continued presence and outreach highlight a growing concern over security along the border and the need for a united national front against terrorism.