25-Year-Old Soldier from Andhra Pradesh Martyred in Pakistani Shelling[/caption]
A 25-year-old soldier from Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai district, M. Murali Naik, was martyred early Friday morning due to injuries sustained during intense shelling along the Line of Control (LoC). The shelling, carried out by Pakistani forces, also claimed the lives of two civilians including a woman and left five others injured in forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri sectors.
Murali’s relative, Ranjit Naik, said a senior officer called Murali’s mother at 6:00 AM to inform her that Murali and his fellow soldiers had been injured while bravely fighting during heavy shelling between 3:00 and 3:30 AM. Murali succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated. He had joined the Indian Army in December 2022 and was part of the 851 Light Regiment.
Murali’s parents, Shriram Naik and Jyotibai, were daily wage laborers in Mumbai’s construction industry. After Murali, their only son, joined the Army, they returned to their village. He had last visited home on a 15-day leave in January.
Murali’s cousin shared that Murali had called his family on the night of May 6 to inform them about ongoing cross-border firing, and again on Thursday night, saying the shelling had intensified. He was worried about his parents—a concern he had never expressed before.
Murali studied at Vignana High School in Somandepalli. His father said that joining the Army had been Murali’s dream since childhood and he had always been deeply inspired by the uniform and proud to serve the nation.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over Murali’s death, stating that the nation will remember his sacrifice at such a young age. He assured the family that the state government stands firmly with them and urged them to stay strong.
Officials reported that Pakistani shelling in various parts of the Loran and Mendhar sectors of Poonch district killed one man and injured three others, including his wife. Property damage was significant, with multiple houses and hundreds of vehicles affected. The deceased civilian was identified as Mohammad Abrar from the Loran area.
In a separate incident, Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire late Thursday night and heavily shelled civilian areas in the Uri sector of Baramulla district in North Kashmir. The shelling damaged several homes and forced residents to flee. One shell struck a car near Mohra, injuring three family members. Among them, a woman named Nargis Begum succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.