Poonch terror attack: Subdued Eid at Sangiote, Bhata Dhurian villages
As a mark of respect to the soldiers who were killed in the Poonch terror attack, the villagers of Sangiote and Bhata Dhurian in Poonch district didn’t celebrate Eid and confined themselves to offering Namaz only on Saturday.
As a mark of respect to the fallen soldiers, the villagers of Sangiote and Bhata Dhurian in Poonch district didn’t celebrate Eid and confined themselves to offering Namaz only on Saturday.
The sarpanch of Sangiote village, Makhtiaz Khan, 46, said, “Almost 65% of families from Sangiote have their members in the army and other belts forces. Every family has one to two members in the army, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, J&K police and other belt forces. Some are captains and subedars in the army. The unit of the 49 RR, to which the ill-fated truck belonged, falls in my panchayat. Therefore, the pain and grief of losing five soldiers is felt more here in the village.”
He said that the company commander of the 49 RR had invited sarpanches and panches of the area for an Iftar party in Sangiote village on Thursday evening around 7 pm but the truck that was sent to Bhimber Gali for bringing fruits and other eatables for Iftar party, was ambushed around 3 pm at Tota Gali.
Sangiote, has two panchayats with a population of 8,000 people.
{{/usCountry}}Sangiote, has two panchayats with a population of 8,000 people.
{{/usCountry}}“Because of this enormous loss, we decided not to celebrate Eid today. The villagers offered Namaz only and stayed home. We, in this hour of grief, are with the bereaved families. The soldiers were for our security and the martyrs had very cordial relations with us,” added Khan.
{{/usCountry}}“Because of this enormous loss, we decided not to celebrate Eid today. The villagers offered Namaz only and stayed home. We, in this hour of grief, are with the bereaved families. The soldiers were for our security and the martyrs had very cordial relations with us,” added Khan.
{{/usCountry}}He shared some pictures of the village that showed no pompous Eid celebrations.
{{/usCountry}}He shared some pictures of the village that showed no pompous Eid celebrations.
{{/usCountry}}Khan informed that the LoC was barely 7 to 8 km away from his village.
{{/usCountry}}Khan informed that the LoC was barely 7 to 8 km away from his village.
{{/usCountry}}Qayoom Khan, 62, sarpanch of Bhata Dhurian, said Eid was not celebrated with pomp and show in his village.
{{/usCountry}}Qayoom Khan, 62, sarpanch of Bhata Dhurian, said Eid was not celebrated with pomp and show in his village.
{{/usCountry}}“It remained a low-key affair. People offered Namaz only because they are sad by the attack. During peak militancy, our area remained peaceful but now things have changed. I was also invited by the army for Iftari in Sangiote on that day but since my children study in Poonch, I had sought exemption but had promised to send my panches but then this gruesome attack unfolded,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“It remained a low-key affair. People offered Namaz only because they are sad by the attack. During peak militancy, our area remained peaceful but now things have changed. I was also invited by the army for Iftari in Sangiote on that day but since my children study in Poonch, I had sought exemption but had promised to send my panches but then this gruesome attack unfolded,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“On the fateful day of Thursday, no one had thought that such a dastardly attack will unfold that too during the pious month of Ramzan,” he added.
The videos that had surfaced soon after the truck was ambushed showed five soldiers charred to death in the fire, which had engulfed the truck. The soldiers were not even able to come out of the truck.