Rahul Gandhi, senior leader in the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha will support the education of 22 children who lost one or both of their parents in Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district during Operation Sindoor, according to J&K Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra.

“A lot of civilian casualties and damage to properties took place in Poonch and Rajouri (between May 7 and 10) in Pakistani shelling. Rahul Gandhi visited Poonch in the aftermath of the devastating shelling and visited the bereaved families,” Karra said.

He added, “He asked us to prepare a list of school-going children who lost one or both parents, especially the breadwinners, and accordingly we submitted the list to him.”

Karra told PTI the party has a list of 22 such children in the Poonch district alone, and more could be added shortly.

Poonch district alone was responsible for 13 civilian deaths out of 28 in Pakistani shelling and drone attacks in Jammu and Kashmir after Indian Armed Forces carried out missile strikes on terror infrastructure across the border in May as part of Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Karra stated that he will visit Poonch to hand over the financial aid sent by the opposition leader for the schooling of the afflicted children.

"This is an initiative aimed at extending a helping hand to the children so that their studies are not impacted," he said.