JAMMU: Two persons, who died of firing outside an army camp in Rajouri, were cremated in on Saturday, even as Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina said that none of the guilty will be spared, while the police has assured to get the matter probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
“I have spoken to Home Minister Amit Shah, who has taken a very serious view of the incident,” said Raina, while talking to media persons after attending the last rites of the deceased in Rajouri.
On Friday morning, Kamal Kumar and Surindar Kumar, both locals, were killed and Anil Kumar from Uttarakhand was injured in firing outside the army camp near its Alpha gate in Rajouri district, leading to massive protests and demands for a fair probe.
While the army said in a tweet that some “unidentified terrorists” had started firing at the camp, eyewitnesses claimed a sentry posted at the gate opened fire at approaching locals, resulting in the casualties. However, a senior army officer later termed the incident “very unfortunate” and assured action against those involved in it.
District Development Commissioner Vikas Kundal, Deputy Inspector General of Police Haseeb Mughal and other senior civil and police officers joined thousands of people in the cremation of the deceased at the local crematory.
The cremation passed off peacefully without any untoward incident, an official said.
Leaders of different political parties visited the bereaved family and demanded a time-bound probe into the incident and adequate compensation to the families of the deceased.
“I have talked to Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who have viewed this incident very seriously. Director General of Police, Dilbagh Singh has assured that a special investigation team will conduct an in-depth, time-bound probe into the incident,” said Ravinder Raina, BJP president for J&K.
He said that Army is protector of the countrymen and the top Army officials have assured that whoever is found guilty, will be given strict punishment.
“The Army would investigate the incident. The Army has its own Court of Inquiry and under it, the action will be taken in this incident.
“We have seen in the past that Army keeps high standards, on allegations or complaints against it. We have seen in the past (July 2020) when two youth of Rajouri were killed by Army in Shopian, the Court of Inquiry took strict action against all those involved in the killing. We must believe in the Army,” said Raina.
Raina said that LG Sinha has talked to the families of the deceased and has assured all possible assistance to them.
Earlier in the day, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha termed the incident ‘very unfortunate’, and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. While announcing an ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh for each affected family, the LG said that the price of a life cannot be set in monetary terms.
“The incident in Rajouri is very unfortunate. Condolences to the bereaved families. The price of a life cannot be set in monetary terms but still I announce an ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh for each affected family,” Office of the LG, J&K wrote on its social media Tweeter handle.
Rajouri deaths ‘unfortunate’: LG announces Rs 5 lakh relief to deceased’s kins
Raina said Lt Governor telephoned the victims’ families to assure that justice will be done to them, adding, “I have talked to the General officer Commanding-in-Chief, northern Command and GOC 25 Infantry Division based in Rajouri over the incident.”
A delegation of the Pradesh Congress Committee led by former Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Ravinder Sharma also visited the families of the deceased and demanded a time-bound judicial probe into the killings to fix the responsibility.
“We have gone to share the grief of the Dalit families who lost their members in the tragic incident. A high-level time bound probe or a judicial inquiry is a must to provide justice to the victims,” Sharma, chief spokesperson of the committee said.
He said Congress has always stood with the armed forces in the fight against terrorism which has ruined the lives of the people in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 30 years.
Sharma demanded adequate compensation, free education to the minor children of the deceased and government jobs to their family members as part of their rehabilitation.
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