| Classrooms with empty desks | | Poonch’s Christ School reopens, grieves tragic loss of Aruba, Ayan | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 19: Today the Christ School in the border town of Poonch reopened after devastating shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) forced its closure.
Unlike other border schools in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Udhampur, where students joyfully resumed classes, Christ School’s reopening was a somber affair, marked by the tragic loss of twin students, Aruba Khan and Ayan Khan, killed in the May 7 shelling.
The school began the day with a two-minute silence to honor Aruba and Ayan, whose home was struck by a Pakistani shell, also injuring their parents. Father Shijzo, the principal, addressed the gathered students, saying, “We are shaken, but we will not be broken. Aruba and Ayan will forever remain in our prayers.” The twins’ absence was felt deeply, their vibrant presence replaced by a quiet sorrow among peers and teachers.
The shelling left physical and emotional scars. Shattered glass panes in the school, located 10–15 km from the LoC, were recently repaired, a reminder of the violence that spared the campus but claimed lives nearby. Staff and locals had sheltered in the school’s underground hall during the attack, a space that now symbolized survival.
As reported earlier, Aruba and Ayan’s parents, Rameez Khan and Arusa Khan, had moved their family from the border village of Kalaani to Poonch city, hoping to provide their children with better education and opportunities.
Enrolled at Christ School, the twins were known for their bright smiles and deep bond, inspiring their teachers and peers. Their dreams of a brighter future were taking flight until a cruel twist of fate intervened.
On the night of May 7, 2025, heavy shelling by the Pakistani army, in retaliation to India’s “Operation Sindoor,” targeted civilian areas in Poonch, plunging the city into chaos. Fearing for their safety, the Khan family planned to return to Kalaani. However, before they could escape, a shell exploded outside their rented home, claiming the lives of Aruba and Ayan. The twins, who shared every moment of their lives, remained together even in their final breath. Their parents, gravely injured in the blast, are now fighting for survival in a hospital. |
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