Grief lingers as parents mourn loss of children killed in Poonch

Three weeks after the tragic shelling incident in Poonch, a steady stream of mourners continues to visit the home of Sanjeev Kumar Bhargav, whose 13-year-old son, Vihaan, was killed when a Pakistani shell exploded near their car as the family attempted to flee the town on May 7.

The Bhargav family, residents of the Dungas area, had decided to leave Poonch that morning to seek safety in Jammu amid escalating cross-border shelling. Around 10.30 am, as they drove through the Khanetar area, a shell exploded nearby. A splinter from the blast fatally injured Vihaan, a Class 8 student at Christ School in Poonch. Six people, including members of the extended family, were in the vehicle at the time; three were injured in the attack, while Vihaan succumbed to his injuries.

The tragedy has left the family in a state of profound shock. Friends and relatives continue to gather in the Bhargavs’ home, offering silent support to the grieving couple, who had invested their lives in securing a bright future for their only child.

Sanjeev Kumar, a government school teacher, described his anguish: “It feels like an unending nightmare. My wife’s condition is deteriorating—she’s unable to come to terms with the loss.”

In their living room, neighbours and relatives sit quietly, struggling to find words of comfort. Vihaan’s school, Christ School, was also damaged during the shelling, as a shell landed dangerously close to the campus. The same blast claimed the lives of 12-year-old twins, Urwa and Zain, and severely injured their father, Rameez Khan, 47.

The lane in Dungas where Rameez’s family lived remains eerily silent. The family had shifted to the town in hopes of providing better educational opportunities for the children, who also studied at Christ School. Rameez remains under treatment at the Government Medical College in Jammu. Their home is locked and deserted.

Sadaqat Mir, a social worker, recounted the incident. “The twins had just stepped outside when a shell tore through the area, shattering doors and windows. They were killed instantly, and their father was badly injured.”