About 27 civilians and nine security personnel were killed in the cross-border shelling between May 7 and 10 besides leaving a trail of destruction of homes and infrastructure in J&K’s border districts.
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday announced that the closest kin of each civilian killed in the Pakistani firing and shelling during the recent military escalation will be provided with a government job.
About 27 civilians and nine security personnel were killed in the cross-border shelling between May 7 and 10 besides leaving a trail of destruction of homes and infrastructure in J&K’s border districts. Poonch with neighbouring Rajouri was the worst hit with most fatalities.
While interacting with the victims’ families during a visit to Poonch, Mr. Sinha said that while ex-gratia and other reliefs have already been provided to all the affected families, the Government of India has committed itself to further necessary assistance.
“The proper rehabilitation of affected families is my top priority. The J&K administration, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, is committed to ensuring proper rehabilitation, enhanced border infrastructure, and security for the residents of border areas,” he told them.
The Lt. Governor also assured the border residents that the government is significantly expanding its efforts to construct individual and community bunkers in the areas falling in proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) across J&K under its security related expenditure.
After paying obeisance at Gurudwara Dera Santpura Nangali Sahib in Poonch city, a portion of which too was hit in the Pakistani artillery fire, Mr. Sinha said, “Pakistan had shown its cowardice by targeting the sacred Gurudwara. In its despicable act, the terrorist country Pakistan had also targeted a temple and a mosque. By targeting our sacred sites with heavy firing and shelling, the terror state Pakistan had tried to damage our social fabric.”
He said that the people of Poonch did not lose cool and maintained communal harmony while as the civil society members and the community leadership displayed remarkable courage and resilience in tough times. He said, “I salute the people of Poonch. Their courage provided moral strength to our brave soldiers. We are proud of our citizens, particularly the Sikh community, who stood united against the adversary's conspiracy to divide the society on religious lines.”
Reiterating that the Centre and J&K administration together with the armed forces have pledged to take all necessary steps towards defeating terrorism and all those who are trying to divide the people on religious and sectarian lines, the Lt. Governor said that if Pakistan again tries to foment trouble along the borders or in the hinterland of J&K it would be taught such a lesson that its generations will remember.
Mr. Sinha also visited Poonch’s Brigade headquarters to interact with the officers and jawans of the Army and the Border Security Force (BSF). He distributed sweets among them and told them that the people of India are proud of the valour of the country’s armed forces and that this sentiment has strengthened after ‘Operation Sindoor’.
“Within days, the enemy was brought to its knees. The 140-crore people of India are proud of the valour of the armed forces. This sentiment has further strengthened after ‘Operation Sindoor’”, he said, adding, “The whole world knows the armed forces destroyed terror camps in Pakistan”.
He asserted that the people are witnessing that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Modi, “every section of society is strengthened, and India's unbeatable prowess is shining globally”.
