‘Will migrate if police fails to catch attackers’
JAMMU: Family members of the Dhangri terror attack victims on Monday threatened to migrate from their village to a “safer” place and return the ex gratia amount if the government fails to catch the attackers and bring them to justice.
Terrorists had struck Dhangri village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on January 1 and targeted villagers and fled before planting an improvised explosive device (IED). While five people were killed in the firing by terrorists, two others died in the IED explosion the next morning. As many as 14 villagers were injured in the twin attacks.
Saroj Bala, who lost two sons -- Prince and Deepak -- in the terror attack, said if the government cannot provide her justice, it should “shoot me dead too”.
“Nearly three months on, there is no clue about the perpetrators, who are still at large,” said Bala, who had even lost her husband a few months before the attack,” she said.
Bala said she appreciated the support provided to the victims’ families by Union home minister Amit Shah and J&K BJP Ravinder Raina. “But unless the attackers are produced before us, we won’t sit quietly. What don’t need ex gratia, we need justice,” she added. She also slammed the government for shifting Rajouri SSP Mohammad Aslam.
“The DGP has now said that the infiltrators had come from Pakistan. Even if that is true, what about those who gave them support to infiltrate, guided them and provided food and shelter here? They (attackers) killed people after checking their IDs,” she added.
Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh had on Thursday had said terrorists had infiltrated from Pakistan and killed innocent people in Dhangri village.
Dhangri sarpanch Deeraj Kumar said that the ex gratia amount will be returned to the same account where from it was credited if justice is not provided to the families.
“We don’t need compensation, weapons, and security in the village. Take everything back, but give us justice by bringing terrorists and their supporters to book. If the government failed to address our demand, we will be compelled to launch an agitation,” he added.
He also appealed J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha to retain present SSP and incumbent SHO till the logical conclusion of the case.
Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday ordered the transfers and postings of two IPS officers with immediate effect. It appointed SSP (crime), Kashmir, Amritpal Singh as the new SSP of Rajouri, while Aslam has been posted as commandant, JKAP 13th Battalion.