Terrorists now active even in Jammu region

Terrorists now active even in Jammu region
From Our Special Correspondent

The terrorist attack in the remote hilly village of Jamlan (Shajroo) in Udhampur district resulting in the death of five persons and injuries to nine others including two women and three children has raised many questions.

The attack took place just two days before Independence Day. It was again a Friday night when the members of the two Hindu families were busy having their meals.

It is said that the two families of Jamlan were fearing the possible attack because of the Independence Day, as earlier also there had been trouble on such like occasions especially on Fridays. They had even approached the concerned officials for sanitising the area.

As nothing was done, the members of the two families were huddled in the house of Shri Sawan Mal on the night of August 12/13. While other members of the family at about 9.15 pm were busy having their meals, two village defence committee (VCD) members were on their guard.

Jamlan incident?Security failure

Taking cover of the nearby maize field the terrorists first hurled a grenade causing big explosions and simultaneously they shot dead both the VDC members.

Describing the attack on the hamlet (Mohra Jamlan) of village Shajru in Mahore area of Udhampur district as part of a conspiracy to scare away the minorities from far off places, the former Union Minister, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta has demanded an independent inquiry. He wanted to know at whose instance the troops were withdrawn from the area some days ago and why the sanitisation of the area was not undertaken when the villagers expressed doubts about possible attack on the village on the eve of Independence Day.

After visiting the Government Medical College here where four of the injured persons have been shifted for treatment, Prof. Gupta said the narration of the events by the injured and their attendants clearly indicate that a conspiracy is at work to scare way the minorities with ulterior motives of grabbing their properties and establishing the domination to anti-national elements by letting loose a reign of terror.

In the hamlet of Jamlan of village Shajru heavily armed terrorists, both foreigners and some locals, had attacked the two houses on the night of August 12 and killed five persons and injured nine others. The injured also included ladies and minor children.

Accompanied by Corporator, Shri Sat Pal Grover, and other party activists, Prof. Gupta gave some cash assistance for medicines to the injured admitted in the hospital here.

Prof. Gupta praised the courage of the villagers who have been holding ground despite repeated attacks but assailed the policies of the State government leaders alleging that their role is not above board. He said that the Village Defence Committees were not being properly equipped and they are being asked to fight with the heavily armed terrorists with obsolete weapons.