Srinagar : Nearly two weeks after firing and IED blast incidents in Dhagri village of Rajouri district in which seven civilians were killed, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit the district on Friday.
Sources told GNS that the Shah will also hold a security review meeting and may announce arming Village Defense Guards with automatic rifles.
Soon after his arrival in Jammu, they said, Home Minister is expected to drive directly in a helicopter to Dhagri village and meet with the family members of the victims.
On January 1, suspected militants opened fire on three houses of a minority community in Dangri, killing four civilians and injured six others. On the next day, two minor cousins were killed and six people were injured in an IED explosion near the house of one of the victims in Dangri village. Days later, one among the injured civilian succumbed to injuries at Government Medical College Jammu, taking the overall toll in the twin incidents to seven.
Amit Shah, they said, is expected to return to Jammu by around 2 p.m. Later, he is scheduled to chair a meeting of officials from the civil administration and security establishment at Raj Bhavan, Jammu before returning for New Delhi by around 4pm.
Meanwhile, in view of the Shah’s visit, security arrangements were heightened amid already strengthened security arrangements in the district as well as areas neighboring with Poonch district.
Pertinently, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on January 2 met people protesting in Rajouri, and said the government was committed to eliminate militancy from the Union Territory and help the affected families.
Sinha said there is no compensation to these deaths. “It is a grave loss to the families. What you told me (about security lapses and measures), I promise you we will go into the depth of the matter. Whatever strong and necessary action is needed will be taken,” Sinha had said.
Hundreds of people belonging to the minority community were sitting on the dharna with the six bodies(then). They were demanding a visit by the LG to the spot so that they can put their demands before him. The LG also met locals, leaders and the grieving families. Later families carried late rite of the deceased persons. (GNS)
