Indian officials say troops exchanged fire with Pakistani soldiers in disputed Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Indian and Pakistani soldiers briefly exchanged fire along their highly militarized frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, Indian officials said Friday, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed rivals following a deadly attack on tourists.

India has described the massacre in which gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian, as a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan denied any connection to the attack near the resort town of Pahalgam in India-controlled Kashmir. It was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.

With the region on edge, three Indian army officials said that Pakistani soldiers fired at an Indian position in Kashmir late Thursday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with departmental policy, said Indian soldiers retaliated and no casualties were reported.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the report.

Tuesday’s attack in Kashmir was the worst assault in years targeting civilians in the restive region. Since then, tensions have risen dangerously between India and Pakistan, which have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

On Wednesday, India suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty that has withstood two wars between the countries and closed their only functional land border crossing. A day later, India revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals with effect from Sunday.

Pakistan responded angrily that it has nothing to do with the attack, and canceled visas issued to Indian nationals, closed its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines and suspended all trade with India. Nationals from both sides began heading back to their home countries through the Wagah border near Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Friday.

Islamabad also warned that any Indian attempt to stop or divert the flow of water would be considered an “act of war.” The suspension of the water treaty could lead to water shortages at a time when parts of Pakistan are already struggling with drought and declining rainfall.

Pakistan has also warned it could suspend the Simla Agreement — in what would be a major and worrying step. The peace treaty signed after the 1971 India-Pakistan war established the Line of Control, a highly militarized de facto border that divides Kashmir between the countries.

The United Nations has urged India and Pakistan “to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that the situation and the developments we’ve seen do not deteriorate any further.”

“Any issues between Pakistan and India, we believe can be and should be resolved peacefully, through meaningful, mutual engagement,” the statement said Friday.

India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir. New Delhi describes all militancy there as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.

Residents and police in southern Kashmir said Indian soldiers detonated explosives in the family homes of two suspected militants they accused of being involved in Tuesday’s attack. In the past, Indian troops have demolished homes as a way to punish militancy in Kashmir.

Authorities say they are investigating two local men and two Pakistani nationals for their alleged involvement in the attack. Officials have not elaborated or shared any evidence.

“He left home three years ago. We haven’t seen him since and nothing was ever recovered from this house despite multiple raids,” said Afroza, the aunt of one of the local men accused, Asif Sheikh. The blast partially damaged the house in Monghama village that she shares with Sheikh's parents and two sisters, including blowing out its windows. It also shattered windowpanes of several other homes.

“Even if he had done the attack, why blow up the house of a poor family,” Afroza, who like many women in Kashmir uses only one name, said as she wailed.

A police official and two residents in Guree village said a house there was also targeted by soldiers. The official insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with media while the two villagers feared reprisals from authorities.

Also Friday, hundreds of people rallied in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, to denounce the suspension of the water-sharing treaty.

The demonstrators chanted slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and burned his effigy before dispersing peacefully. Similar small rallies were also held elsewhere.

Pakistan’s Senate condemned the attack, while passing a resolution denouncing New Delhi’s attempt to link Islamabad to it and the suspension of the water treaty.

Hundreds of demonstrators also took to streets in India’s capital of New Delhi, where most markets were shut in protest against the killings. They demanded action against Pakistan.

“Now our patience has run out,” protester Surekha Sharma said. “Now we want revenge for this.”

Roy reported from New Delhi. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

A Kashmiri baker works inside his shop in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Muslims shout slogans after Friday prayers during a protest organized by Raza Academy against the killing of tourists by militants near Pahalgam in Indian controlled Kashmir in Mumbai, India, Friday, April. 25, 2025.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Members of Kashmiri refugee organization "Pasban-e-Hurriya" chant slogans during a demonstration to denounce the suspension of the water sharing treaty by India, in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/M.D. Mughal)

A Kashmiri woman clears shattered glass outside her home after it was damaged in a blast at the house of Asif Sheikh, who officials say is a militant and have blamed for involvement in the deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, at Monghama village in Tral, south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri women inspect the blown-up family home of Asif Shiekh, a militant who officials say is involved in the deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, at Monghama village in Tral, south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri villager women grieve as they sit outside the blown-up family home of Asif Shiekh, a militant who officials say is involved in the deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, at Monghama village in Tral, south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

A supporter of the Pakistan Murkazi Muslim League party holds a crossed poster of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words 'Modi butcher" during a demonstration against the suspension of water-sharing treaty by India with Pakistan, in Karachi, Pakistan Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Supporters of the Pakistan Murkazi Muslim League party stand over the crossed posters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amir Shah during a demonstration against the suspension of water-sharing treaty by India with Pakistan, in Karachi, Pakistan Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Members of airlines and tourism facility providers walk in a procession with posters during a protest against the killing of tourists by militants near Pahalgam in Indian controlled Kashmir, in Kolkata, India, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Members of airlines and tourism facility providers walk with posters during a protest against the killing of tourists by militants near Pahalgam in Indian controlled Kashmir, in Kolkata, India, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

People place candles after a march against the killing of tourists by militants near Pahalgam in Indian controlled Kashmir, in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

People burn Pakistani flags during a protest against the killing of tourists by militants near Pahalgam in Indian controlled Kashmir, in Guwahati, India, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Helio Castroneves, at age 50, is still chasing history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A win in this year's Indianapolis 500 would give him five in his brilliant IndyCar career and break a tie with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears for most wins in a race that will be run May 25 for the 109th time.

He's been unsuccessful in his last three tries to win a fifth but hopes this year, his 25th Indy 500, will be the one where he breaks history. Not even his age has discouraged the Brazilian.

“I feel I have a brand new engine,” Castroneves said. “I feel that I’m like ready to go. They say life starts at 50, so I’m ready to start again.”

Castroneves won his fourth Indy 500 driving for Meyer Shank Racing, where he's now part of team management and will drive for them again this year. If he wins, he doesn't plan to walk away from “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

“I’m going to come back and try for six,” Castroneves said. “I want a statue.”

For the record, MSR has not confirmed any races for Castroneves beyond this year's Indy 500. But, the team values his contributions on and off the track, particularly his 500 victory in 2021.

Castroneves had spent 20 years driving for Team Penske, where he won the Indy 500 in 2001, 2002 and 2009. After a move to Penske's sports car program, Castroneves landed a partial ride back in IndyCar with Meyer Shank Racing, and the 500 win grew into two full seasons.

The team fields two full-time cars now for Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong, with Castroneves as a third entry at Indianapolis.

“Basically winning that fourth, putting the team on the map and they know that they can do it again, whether it’s me or my two other teammates. They know they can do it,” Castroneves said. “And that’s probably why we keep on pushing. We feel that we’re going to another level as a team.”

Rosenqvist is currently eighth in the IndyCar standings, while Armstrong is 14th. Qualifying has been dramatically improved this year, and the team created a technical alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing that has provided tremendous benefit to MSR. The drivers all debrief together — although Ganassi driver Scott Dixon noted Wednesday that Castroneves, who has a super-sized personality, is atypically quiet in the meetings.

Ganassi drivers have five Indy 500 wins, although Dixon is the only active driver with a victory in the big race. But Alex Palou, his teammate, has opened this season with four wins in five races including last Saturday on the road course at Indy. Palou has won the last two IndyCar titles and three of the last four, and Ganassi has 16 total IndyCar championships.

That alliance has been a massive boost for MSR.

“We have a different partnership now, which really, really helps,” Castroneves said. “I’m noticing the difference and I’m happy we were able to do that. They don’t win races or championships because they’re lucky.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

FILE - Helio Castroneves of Brazil, winner of the 2021 Indianapolis 500 auto race, poses during the traditional winner's photo session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)