Srinagar, Aug 12: Residents of Zachaldara in Handwara on Sunday alleged that soldiers are committing excesses in the holy month of Ramadan. They urged General Officer Commanding XV Corps to intervene to mitigate their sufferings.
 A delegation of residents from Zachaldara told Greater Kashmir that soldiers of 21 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) stationed at Higher Secondary School and Rani Post have made their lives hell. “Soldiers do not allow us to venture out of homes after 5 pm,” the residents said. “They close the gate near higher secondary school at 5 pm and nobody can cross it after that.”
 Expressing concern over hooting by different camps at Zachaldara during evening hours, the residents said that hooting causes immense stress to villagers. “We shiver when the hooting from different camps starts and ends after a while. Kids, aged people and womenfolk are undergoing stress because of this hooting from the army camps,” said the residents.
 “We cannot dump extra ration as the RR soldiers accuse us of feeding the militants,” the residents said adding that they cannot shift the patient from Zachaldara area after 5 pm.
 “We appeal the GOC 15 Corps to intervene and end our miseries,” the residents said and added that otherwise they would be forced to migrate from the area. 
 Pertinently, earlier this month JK Government ordered magisterial inquiry into a firing incident by 21 RR in Zachaldara in which a 12th class student was injured.
 Locals had alleged that army had opened fire on TATA mobile vehicle near receiving station located on Handwara- Zachaldara road. The vehicle was loaded with paddy bags supposed to be taken to a nearby husk mill.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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