Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 8 (ANI): BJP leader N Ramchander Rao on Thursday strongly denounced Pakistan's shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), describing it as a 'condemnable' act targeting civilians and violating ceasefire agreements.

His remarks come in the wake of India's 'Operation Sindoor', a series of precision missile strikes in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Speaking to ANI, Rao hailed the operation, stating it was not only lauded by the people in India but also across the world, except for one country.

'Operation Sindoor has been highly appreciated not just by India but the whole world, except for one country. India had to defend its right against the terrorists being encouraged by the neighbouring country,' Rao said.

The operation, aimed at neutralising terror infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been widely praised as a decisive blow against terrorism, though Pakistan has retaliated with heavy shelling along the LoC, targeting civilian areas in Rajouri, Poonch and other districts.

Rao criticised Pakistan's actions, saying, 'The shelling at the LoC by Pakistan is condemnable. They are attacking civilians, and it is a violation of the ceasefire.'

Defence sources on Wednesday stated that Pakistan's artillery firing has killed 15 civilians and injured 43 in Poonch and Tangdhar while damaging homes and infrastructure in border villages. Residents of Rajouri recounted fleeing their homes in panic during the night, with some returning on Thursday morning to assess the destruction.

After Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army continued its series of ceasefire violations by targeting civilian areas in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army have proportionately responded to the unprovoked small-arms and artillery guns firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7 and May 8, as the Pakistan Army resorted to firing in areas opposite in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday.

The strikes were aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack victims and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. (ANI)