A senior administrative officer and two other persons, including a minor from Bihar, were killed in Pakistan shelling in Rajouri district, officials said on May 10.
A senior official confirmed the death of Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa after his residence was hit by a Pakistani shell during the intervening night of May 9 and 10. The official said that Kumar was seriously injured and died before being admitted at GMC Rajouri. He said two more bodies were received at the GMC Rajouri, and they too had died due to Pakistan’s shelling.
The duo are said to be residents of Bihar, and one of them was a 2-year-old boy. The other is said to be a 35-year-old man, and both died after being hit by shelling in an Industrial area in the Rajouri district, they said.
Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 10, 2025
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed sadness and termed Kumar’s death as “a terrible loss of life.” “Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday, he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired,” Omar said in a post on X, adding, “Today, the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town, killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. I’ve no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace”.
