Rajouri: Dhangri villagers here in Rajouri district are not celebrating Holi this year as a mark of mourning for the killing of seven locals in the January 1 terror attack.
People have also decided to pay tributes to all the seven victims of the terror attack.
Dhangri, a village situated around 8 km from Rajouri town witnessed a deadly terror attack on January 1 in which terrorists barged into five houses and fired indiscriminately while an IED planted by them outside a house was triggered in the morning hours next day.
Seven people lost their lives in this attack while 14 others were injured, few of whom are still getting treatment at hospitals.
The attack on the minority community was seen as a major security concern after which 18 extra companies of CRPF were rushed to Rajouri and Poonch districts for stepping up security while one of the companies has also been deployed in Dhangri village.
Nine weeks after the deadly attack, people in the village are still recounting the ill-fated evening when terrorists carried out a deadly attack on the village.
People have decided to stay away from the celebration of Holi festival considering this as mourning for the village.
“We are still in mourning after the loss of seven innocent precious lives while many of our villagers are still availing treatment after getting injured,” said Dheeraj Sharma, the village Sarpanch.
Sharma, who also led the agitation after this attack and is acting as a bridge between the administration and the villagers for restoration of confidence of the villagers, said that staying away from celebration was the moral responsibility of everyone in the area.
“The entire village stands with victim families and that is why we decided not to celebrate this festival,” Sharma said.
Saroj Bala, wife of late Rajinder Kumar Sharma, who lost her two sons Deepak Sharma and Prince Sharma, thanked the people of the village for their cooperation and said that everyone in Dhangri had stood by her side.
“I have lost my both sons and now I am alone at home but the entire village is with me and everyone out here has extended the best possible help," said Bala, who hailed the decision of villagers not to celebrate Holi.
“Today it is me, tomorrow it can be anyone. It is the moral responsibility of everyone in the area to play a role in such a tough situation and staying away from the celebration of Holi shows how sad people in the area are even after nine weeks of the deadly attack," she said.
Bala also expressed her anguish, as both the attackers of Dhangri attack were still untraced but expressed hope on the forces to trace them out.
“I am sure our forces will kill both the attackers who snatched my sons and also killed other people," she said.
