Promised ‘strict action’ by Army, families of 3 dead civilians taken to meet Rajnath in Poonch

This comes less than 24 hours after some senior Army officers paid the first ever visit to the homes of the families.

“Brigadier M P Singh, Commander of Sector 6 Rashtriya Rifles, and Commanding Officer of the 16 Rashtriya Rifles visited us around 4 pm on Tuesday and assured strict action against those responsible for the death of our family members,” a relative said. “They assured us that the Army was with us. Both the officers visited the homes of all three families and informed us that an inquiry had already been initiated and some officers removed from their posts,” the person said.

The officers were in the village for nearly an hour before leaving, he added.

Three civilians from Topa Pir village, situated near the site of Thursday’s militants attack on Army vehicles in which four soldiers were killed and three injured, had died in custody a few hours after they were allegedly picked up by security forces for questioning the next morning. Five other civilians picked up from Thanamandi area of adjoining border district the same morning were hospitalised with injuries.

The district administration has promised Rs 30 lakh, a government job and a 10 marla plot in Surankote to the next of kin of each deceased. Of this, it has already paid them cheques of Rs 10 lakh each.

The Defence Minister is visiting Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after the killing of five Army soldiers, including two Captains, during an encounter between militants and security forces in Rajouri’s Kandi area last month.

He is likely to be briefed by senior Army officers about the situation on the ground in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Later in the day, he is likely to review the situation along the borders before returning to Delhi.