Indian Army Refutes Poonch Ceasefire Violation Reports
The Indian Army on late on Tuesday denied reports of a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, hours after sources within the military had informed local media of an alleged exchange of fire with Pakistani forces.
In an official statement, the Army said, “There have been some media and social media reports regarding ceasefire violation in Poonch region. It is clarified that there has been no ceasefire violation along the LoC. Please avoid spreading unverified information.”
Earlier in the evening, sources in Jammu had told a section of the media that the Pakistan Army initiated “unprovoked” small arms fire on Indian forward posts in the Mankote sector at approximately 7:40 p.m. The sources claimed the Indian Army retaliated, with the exchange lasting about 15 minutes. No casualties were reported, and the incident was described as the first ceasefire violation since India’s Operation Sindoor in May, which targeted terrorist infrastructure across the border following a deadly attack in Pahalgam.
The initial report and subsequent denial came on a day when India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) marked the sixth anniversary of the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A, which had granted special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP used the occasion to highlight the strength of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, contrasting it with what it described as weaker national security policies under previous Congress-led administrations.
A search for reports from Pakistan on the alleged incident yielded no credible claims of a ceasefire violation in Poonch on August 5, 2025. Pakistani media and official sources remained silent on any cross-border firing, further aligning with the Indian Army’s clarification that no such incident occurred.
The earlier clashes in May, under Operation Sindoor, saw intense exchanges between Indian and Pakistani forces after India conducted missile strikes on terrorist targets across the LoC. Those clashes, which resulted in 28 deaths, including 13 in Poonch, subsided after both nations reached an understanding. Tuesday’s conflicting reports, while quickly clarified, underscore the sensitivity of the LoC and the need for verified information in a region where tensions remain high.
The Indian Army has urged media and the public to refrain from circulating unverified reports, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining peace along the border while safeguarding India’s sovereignty in Jammu and Kashmir.
