Operation Sindoor: In a powerful overnight response to the brutal killings of civilians by Pak-backed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, India carried out a precision military operation targeting terrorist camps across the Line of Control (LoC) and deep inside Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and Pakistan’s Punjab province. The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’, led to the destruction of nine camps affiliated with terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).
The strikes were conducted on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, following the April 22 massacre in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, where 26 unarmed civilians, mostly Hindu and Christian men, were reportedly executed by terrorists after being identified by their religion. The targeted killings, allegedly carried out by Pakistan-backed militants, sparked nationwide outrage and calls for decisive action.
The term ‘Sindoor’ (vermillion) — which refers to the sacred red powder worn by married Hindu women — was personally chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The symbolic choice reflects the grief of the widowed women whose husbands were murdered in front of their eyes by the terrorists. A image was shared by the Indian Army depicting the operation features the word ‘Sindoor’ with a bowl of red vermilion replacing the ‘O’, its contents smeared to signify the bloodshed and pain endured by the victims’ families. The caption read, “Justice is served.”
As India achieved success in neutralizing key terror infrastructure, cross-border firing and heightened military alertness continue along the LoC, raising apprehensions of escalation. Pakistan has officially acknowledged the strikes, but has, as usual, skipped mentioning terrorists. The terror patron neighbour has resorted to unprovoked firing, in which at least seven civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian forces have initiated an evacuation drive in villages along the international border and LoC, while the retaliatory firing continues from the Indian side.