Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir Fears of a full-blown conflict between India and Pakistan surged dramatically today, May 7, 2025, as a fighter jet crashed in the Wuyan area of Pampore in Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The incident occurred amidst escalating cross-border skirmishes, heavy artillery shelling, and India’s launch of “Operation Sindoor”, targeting alleged terror infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC).
Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir, Fuels Tensions
Eyewitnesses in Pampore reported seeing fighter jets hovering in the sky around midnight, followed by a massive explosion that “shook our house as if a powerful earthquake had struck,” according to a local resident. The sky reportedly lit up, and debris from the crashed aircraft was scattered over a radius of approximately 500 metres in the Wuyan locality. Some wreckage reportedly fell near a school and in the compound of a mosque. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
Security forces, including police and army personnel, immediately cordoned off the area. The origin and make of the crashed fighter jet remain unconfirmed, with authorities yet to determine whether it belonged to the Indian Air Force (IAF) or the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). There is no immediate information on the fate of the pilot(s). Rescue operations are underway. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
‘Operation Sindoor’ and Cross-Border Hostilities, Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
The heightened tensions follow India’s “Operation Sindoor”, launched by armed forces during the intervening night of May 6 and 7. Indian officials stated this operation targeted nine locations housing “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This retaliatory action comes two weeks after a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mostly tourists. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
A Pakistani military spokesperson told Reuters that five Indian aircraft had been shot down, a claim India has not yet officially confirmed. Uncorroborated reports also suggest that as many as three fighter jets may have crashed in Jammu and Kashmir – one in Pampore, another on the outskirts of Srinagar, and a third in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector. The crash sites are reportedly under IAF control. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
Civilian Casualties and Escalating Shelling
The situation along the LoC and international border is extremely volatile. Pakistani artillery shelling has reportedly killed at least three civilians in Jammu’s Poonch district. The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Adil, Saleem Hussain, and Ruby Kour. Ten other civilians were injured in the shelling, which targeted residential areas. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
In North Kashmir’s Kupwara district, several residential houses in Karnah town were damaged by artillery fire from across the LoC, leading to significant fires. Videos circulating on social media, which The Wire (and other independent sources) could not immediately verify, showed massive blazes engulfing homes. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
Security Measures: Airports Shut, Schools Closed
In response to the escalating crisis, authorities have shut down the civilian airports in Srinagar and Jammu. These airports have reportedly been taken over by the Indian Air Force. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
Educational institutions in several districts across Jammu and Kashmir, including Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Jammu, Samba, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora, have been ordered to remain closed on Wednesday. The army and the Border Security Force (BSF) have been placed on high alert. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
India has vowed to avenge the Pahalgam attack and “hunt down the perpetrators and their supporters to the end of the earth.” Meanwhile, the United States and other international powers have called on both New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels. Fighter Jet Crashes in Kashmir
The situation remains fluid and highly dangerous, with the potential for further escalation.
Stay tuned to our website for the latest updates on this developing story.
