Operation Sindoor LIVE | 'We killed 100 terrorists, Pak targeted our civilians'

Police in Shimla have booked a man for using the image of a Pakistan flag as his display picture on WhatsApp, officials said on Sunday.

Adil Magre — a native of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir living near the Lakkar Bazar in Shimla since 2016 — works with a private gas agency in the state capital, they said.

Magre has been booked for “prompting enmity on grounds of religion, language, caste, race or community and imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration”, police said.

A case under Sections 196 and 197(1) of the BNS has been registered against Magre, they said.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday hailed the understanding reached between India and Pakistan to stop all firing and military action as a “significant step towards peace”.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Sri Lanka, I commend this significant step towards peace,” President Dissanayake said in a statement.

“The immediate cessation of hostilities is not only a vital measure to protect innocent lives on both sides but also a crucial step toward achieving lasting peace and stability in our region. I deeply appreciate the decision by both nations to pursue dialogue over conflict, and I applaud their leadership for demonstrating true statesmanship in choosing diplomacy and restraint at this critical juncture,” he said.

As a close neighbour and long-standing friend of both India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka remains hopeful that this ceasefire will lay the foundation for a peaceful and constructive resolution of long-standing issues through continued engagement, Dissanayake said.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday praised the “strong and unwaveringly powerful” leadership of India and Pakistan for reaching a “ceasefire” and offered to work with them for a “solution” on the Kashmir issue.

India has always maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter and there is no space for any third party.

“I will work with you both to see if, after a ‘thousand years’, a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir. God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

His comments came hours after India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect.

“I am very proud of the strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to fully know and understand that it was time to stop the current aggression that could have lead (led) to the death and destruction of so many, and so much,” Trump said.

“Millions of good and innocent people could have died! Your legacy is greatly enhanced by your brave actions. I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision,” Trump said.

He went on to say that even though this has not been discussed, he is going to “increase trade substantially with both of these great Nations.” In Islamabad, Pakistan's Foreign Office Sunday said it appreciates President Trump’s "willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute".

Trump on Saturday announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire” after a “long night” of talks, even before the announcement came from anybody in India or Pakistan.

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked border villages residents, who were evacuated to safer places in view of cross border shelling by Pakistan, not to rush back to homes as they are yet to sanitize and clear these areas of any unexplored shells.

More than 1.25 lakh residents of villages close to Line of Control in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts were evacuated to safer places as their habitations were at a very high risk of being targeted in Pakistani shelling.

“Do not return to frontline villages. Lives are at risk as unexplored munitions remain (scattered) after Pakistani shelling,” an advisory issued by the police said.

Bomb disposal squads will be sent to affected areas to sanitize and clear the villages of any unexplored shells which can lead to loss of human lives, it said.

“As many as 41 lives were lost in explosions of leftover shells near the LoC in 2023 alone,” the advisory read, highlighting the dangers of civilians rushing back to villages.

After overnight panic in the border areas of Rajasthan as Pakistan violated ceasefire, normal activities resumed on Sunday, with markets reopening.

The North Western Railway (NWR) has also restored the services of 16 trains cancelled and 11 trains partially-cancelled due to the tensions between the two countries.

A blackout was imposed in the border region of the desert state on Saturday night as there were reports of drone activity and explosions from Jaisalmer, Barmer and other areas.

According to Jaisalmer resident Revant Singh, the frequency of the drone activity was less as compared to the two previous nights.

“Drone activity was spotted in the sky, which was a clear violation of the military understanding arrived at on Saturday,” Singh told PTI.

Jaisalmer and Barmer witnessed drone attacks by Pakistan on Thursday night as well as on Friday night. The Indian defence forces managed to destroy the drones mid-air and no loss of life or damage to property was reported.

The debris of drones and missile-like objects was found from various locations on Saturday.

The announcement of the military understanding on Saturday amid an armed conflict between India and Pakistan brought some relief to people. Markets in Jaisalmer and Barmer reopened in the evening and the blackout call in Barmer was withdrawn.

The blackout duration was also shortened in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.

Despite the understanding, reports of violations soon followed and a blackout was again announced in Jaisalmer, Barmer and other nearby areas.

“There was news about the understanding in the evening and markets reopened. But around 9 pm, drones were spotted in the sky again. We heard explosions, although the activity was less intense than the previous night,” Tarendra Singh, a resident of Jhinjhinyali village in Fatehgarh, near the border, told PTI.

However, he said shops are open and “activities are back to normal”.

In Barmer, the debris of a drone was found in Burtiya village on Sunday. Drone activity was also reported from Anupgarh and Ganganagar.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat held a meeting of officials in Jodhpur and discussed the current situation. The minister directed the officials to maintain alertness and vigil.

Under Operation Sindoor, Indian armed forces not only struck Pakistani military bases near the border but their might was even felt in Rawalpindi where the headquarters of the Pakistani Army is located, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.

He said the Indian military has punished anti-India forces and terrorists who had wiped off the vermilion of many families through the Pahalgam terror attack.

Speaking virtually at an event in Lucknow to inaugurate a BrahMos production unit, the defence minister said Operation Sindoor is not just a military action, but a symbol of India’s political, social and strategic will against terrorism.

“This operation is a demonstration of India's strong will against terrorism and also the capability and determination of the military power,” he said.

“We have shown that whenever India takes any action against terrorism, even the land across the border will not be safe for the terrorists and their masters,” he said.

Singh said Indian forces launched Operation Sindoor with the aim of destroying the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.

“The Indian Army has displayed valour and courage as well as restraint and has given a befitting reply by attacking many of Pakistan’s military bases,” he said.

The defence minister said the whole world saw the consequences of committing and getting terrorist incidents carried out in India.

“We not only took action against the military bases near the border but the threat of Indian forces was felt even in Rawalpindi where the headquarters of the Pakistani army is located,” he added.