Ferozepur, May 13 — A 50-year-old woman injured in a Pakistani drone strike near the India-Pakistan border last week died late Monday night, making her the first civilian fatality in Punjab since the escalation of cross-border attacks following India’s Operation Sindoor.
Sukhwinder Kaur, a resident of Khai Pheme Ki village in Ferozepur district, succumbed to her injuries at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in Ludhiana. She had suffered 100% burns after debris from a Pakistani drone—shot down by India’s air defence system—ignited a fire that engulfed the family’s car on May 9.
“She was badly burned in the attack and could not be saved despite intensive efforts,” said Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma.
“The drone was intercepted, but the falling debris triggered the tragedy.”
The drone strike, which occurred around 9 p.m. just 12 kilometers from the district headquarters, also left Kaur’s husband, 55-year-old Lakhwinder Singh, critically injured with 70% burns.
Their son, Jaswant Singh, 24, sustained injuries to his legs and is recovering at a private hospital in Ferozepur.
The incident marks the first time civilians in Punjab have been injured in a drone strike amid the recent spike in cross-border activity.
The strike was part of a larger wave of Pakistani drone incursions targeting at least 26 locations across northern India in the wake of India’s May 7 air operation on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied territory.
Security agencies said most drones were intercepted or neutralized before they could inflict damage.
“There have been multiple attempts in Ferozepur and Fazilka districts alone,” a senior official involved in the probe confirmed. “This particular strike unfortunately resulted in civilian injuries.”
With Kaur’s death, the total death toll from Pakistani shelling and drone attacks on Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab has now reached 26 since May 7.
Sukhwinder Kaur’s body is expected to be returned to her village for final rites later Tuesday.
