SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government said to have initiated ‘legal action’ into the deaths of three civilians in Poonch and announced jobs and compensation for their families. The deceased, identified as Safeer Hussain, 43, Muhammad Showket, 27, and Shabir Ahmad, 32, were reportedly part of a group questioned about the Poonch attack that claimed the lives of four soldiers and injured two others.
According to various media reports, these three civilians were residents of Topa Pir village in Poonch’s Bufliaz region and were allegedly picked up by security forces for questioning following a militant attack on two Army vehicles.
General Officer Commanding of Jammu-based White Knight Corps Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain and Director General of Police R R Swain also inspected the scene of the ambush and reviewed the security situation yesterday. A team from the National Investigation Agency, headed by a deputy inspector general-rank officer, also visited the ambush site.
Protests erupted in the region soon, prompting authorities to suspend mobile internet services in the Poonch and Rajouri districts as a precautionary measure.
While the Jammu and Kashmir government acknowledged the deaths, it did not provide details on how the civilians died.
The Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said, “Legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority,” and announced compensation for each of the deceased. Compassionate appointments to the next of kin were also assured.
The Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) termed the incident a ‘Militant Initiated Incident’ and pledged full support for the ongoing investigations. “The matter is under investigation. Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations,” stated the ADGPI.
Senior civil, police, and Army officers, including the Poonch Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police, were present in Bufliaz to look into the matter. The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, also visited the spot for assessment and discussions with local administration and representatives.
Fresh firing incidents were reported near Peer Ki Gali, where the search for militants continued. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) issued an advisory urging personnel to exercise caution and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) in Rajouri and Poonch.
Troops were mandated to refrain from isolated movements and use bulletproof vehicles for safety.
It may be recalled that 21 soldiers lost their lives in four terror attacks in the last 26 months in Poonch. December 21 is the fourth major terrorist attack in Poonch.
The December 21 attack marked the fourth major incident in Poonch in the last 26 months.
36 soldiers and seven civilians have been killed in the mountainous Rajouri-Poonch area of J&K since October 2021, and more than 50 per cent of total security-related casualties in 2023 have taken place in these two heavily forested districts that are close to the Line of Control. As per police data shared with the news organisation Quint, around 85 militants were killed in 2023, out of which 28 militants were killed in this region only. Out of 34 security personnel killings that took place this year, 20 alone occurred in these two districts.
