Jammu, Sep 19: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Monday urged the LG administration to step up vigil and strengthen village defence mechanisms in all remote and vulnerable areas of Rajouri, Poonch, including Narla-Sajali area of Kalakote.
The area witnessed fierce encounter last week wherein two terrorists and an army jawan were killed while three other security personnel had sustained injuries.
Expressing serious concern over, what they alleged, “spurt in terrorism, fresh infiltrations and presence of terrorists in border districts of Rajouri, Poonch”, the party leaders demanded “additional deployment of forces and setting up more posts as the villagers feared retaliation.”
Addressing a press conference here, JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla and chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said, “Dhangri type incident has been averted by the timely information by one Prem Lal Sharma, a shepherd of Sajali Gala in Narla area and the quick action of army and other security forces. But anything can happen again as people fear retaliation, in absence of an army post and strengthening of VDCs with modern weapons.”
Former minister and district president Rajouri Shabir Ahmed Khan and JKPCC spokesperson Kapil Singh also accompanied them during the presser.
JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said, “Prem Lal Sharma was in the terrorists’ captivity for three-four hours and his phone and contact numbers were noted by two terrorists before he escaped.”
Bhalla said, “There are fresh media reports of increased presence of terrorists in the twin border districts, causing a sense of insecurity amongst the people in remote and far-flung areas. In last two years several attempts by terrorists have been made, resulting in the martyrdom of several innocent civilians, army and other security personnel.”
He said that former MLC and chief spokesperson of the party Ravinder Sharma, who visited the area a couple of days ago, witnessed the fear and sense of insecurity amongst the population in areas of recent encounter In Narla-Sajali Gala and other remote areas of Kalakote.
