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Two kids die in IED blast at site where J&K civilians were shot
Two children died when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off in Dhangri village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Monday, officers said, a mere 12 hours after terrorists rained bullets at three houses killing four people.
Two children died when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off in Dhangri village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Monday, officers said, a mere 12 hours after terrorists rained bullets at three houses killing four people.
Nine other people were injured in the explosion at the house of one the victims of the deadly shooting the night before, officers said.
The deceased were identified as Vihan Sharma, 4, and Samiksha Sharma, 16, officers said.
“While the four-year-old was brought dead, the teenaged girl succumbed to her injuries during treatment,” medical superintendent at Government Medical College and Hospital, Rajouri, Dr Mehmood Hussain Bajar said.
According to villagers, apart from the two minors — who were cousins — there were several people in the house when the blast happened at around 9.30am.
Accusing the police of lapses, locals in the area said that the IED was planted by the terrorists on Sunday itself but security officials missed it during the search operation.
Village sarpanch Deepak Kumar said that it was a serious security lapse on the part of security agencies.
“It is a serious security lapse by security agencies. Minority community people do not feel secure. The administration should take tough measures,” he told reporters in Rajouri.
“Why were the three houses attacked by terrorists on Sunday evening not searched and sanitised? Had the houses been sanitised properly, the IED could have been detected in time,” another local said.
On Sunday evening, Deepak Kumar, 23, Satish Kumar, 45, Pritam Pal, 56, and Shiv Pal, 32, were killed, and six others were injured when terrorists entered their houses and fired at them indiscriminately.
There were unconfirmed reports that the terrorists checked their identity cards before firing at them.
As protests over the incidents spread across the district, police officers said that the IED was planted at the entrance of Pritam Pal’s house under a gunny bag.
“It appears the terrorists, who fired at the three houses on Sunday evening, also planted an IED before fleeing. The IED had a timer and was planted at the entrance of the house that was attacked first on Sunday evening,” a senior police officer said requesting anonymity.
In a statement issued after the blast, additional director general of police Mukesh Singh said, “It seems the IED was hidden under a gunny bag. We have received information about the presence of two terrorists. The area has been cordoned off and a search operation is underway.”
The villagers, meanwhile, took to the streets with the bodies of the victims and demanded that the government ensure the safety of minorities.
J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha reached the village on Monday evening, and assured help to the families of the victims.
“This is a very painful and unfortunate incident. It is centre’s and JK government’s resolve to wipe out terrorism from J&K. Though deaths can’t be compensated but I assure every possible help to the families within a week’s time,” Sinha said.
“We have given full freedom to the security forces and I want to assure the people that the perpetrators of this attack will be punished soon,” the LG said.
The LG also announced ₹1 lakh compensation and jobs for the kin of those killed.
Earlier in the day, the villagers had refused to cremate the bodies of the two minors unless the LG visited the site.
“We will not cremate the bodies unless lieutenant governor (l-G) Manoj Sinha visits Dhangri and announces adequate compensation, and jobs for the kin of the four victims, apart from assuring a safe environment,” Rajesh Kumar, a villager, said.
After the meeting with the LG, the protestors agreed to cremate the bodies on Tuesday morning.
Hindu bodies, including Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Manch, have called for a bandh to protest the killings.
The attack came days after at least four terrorists were killed inside a truck during a gunfight with security forces at Sidhra near Jammu on December 28. On December 16, two civilians were shot dead and a third was injured during firing near the gate of an army camp in Rajouri.
