Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank Branches Near LoC Suspend Operations Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

Multiple branches situated near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu division have ceased operations following heavy shelling across the border. An employee of Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank told Kanal, “Branches located in Poonch city, Mankote, Julas, Mendhar, and Dhargloon are closed after midnight’s air strike by Indian forces in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with which Poonch shares its border. The situation in Poonch is very sensitive, and there has already been loss of lives.”

Image: Map of J&K showing specific regions having branches of Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank.

Image Courtesy: Wikipedia

In the map, Poonch is marked as point 1, followed by Mendhar as point 4, and Mankote as point 5, highlighting their strategic and exposed positions near the LoC. 

The district of Poonch lies approximately 33 km from the LoC, marked by a black bold line on the map, placing it within range of cross-border firing and aerial strikes. Its proximity makes it highly vulnerable to hostilities from Pakistan’s forces stationed across the border.

Operational Strain in Kashmir Division

In Kashmir’s Kupwara district, which also shares a border with the LoC, a few bank employees have taken temporary leave as a precautionary measure. Within a 10 km stretch from the LoC, there are three Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank branches, including the Tadd branch — the closest, situated just 500 meters from the LoC boundary.

One bank employee shared, “There has been arbitrary cross-border shelling from Pakistan that has resulted in the loss of lives. Several houses were bombed in Tangdhar, the nearest market to the LoC.”

Read More: Rural Banking in Jammu and Kashmir : A Challenging Stride for J&K Grameen Bankers

Civilian Casualties and Property Losses

The recent hostilities have taken a severe toll on civilians. Official sources confirm that 10 people were killed and many injured in Poonch district alone due to shelling from the Pakistan side. 

Image: The list of casualties in Poonch, Jammu after cross-border shelling from Pakistan forces.

Kupwara district in Kashmir faced a similar situation. The Pakistan Army launched heavy artillery and indiscriminate firing in Karnah, resulting in significant damage to homes and public infrastructure.

Image: Burned home of locals in Karnah region in Kupwara district of Kashmir.

Image Courtesy: The Nawakadal

Broader Impact on Banking and Security

These operational shutdowns follow earlier closures in April, when 52 branches of the erstwhile Ellaquai Dehati Bank (now part of Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank) were temporarily shut across South Kashmir. That decision came in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 tourists dead.

As tensions continue to rise, the impact on rural banking looks profound. Beyond the financial services, it is the survival of communities residing near the LoC that is most at stake. Their proximity to conflict zones exposes them to constant danger, disrupting not only essential services like banking but also daily life and livelihoods.