SOS Int’l demands constitution of Judicial Commission to probe security lapses in Dhangri massacre

Jammu,10-01-2023 : SOS International-an Organization for PoJK Refugees–today demanded immediate constitution of a Judicial Commission headed by a retired High Court Judge to fix official responsibility into all lapses that led to targeted and selective killings of Hindus in Dhangri area of Rajouri district.

The SOS International chairman Rajiv Chuni, who visited the victim families in Dhangri village and prepared a detailed report on the massacre, also demanded that the Government should announce an ex-gratia of Rs one crore and a government job to the next kith and kin of those who lost their loved ones in dastardly attack and Rs 50 lakh to all injured persons.

In a function organized by SOS International to pay floral tributes to all martyrs who were killed by Pakistan sponsored terrorists, the speakers strongly criticized the dubious role of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and questioned its silence over the killings of innocent Hindus in Dhangri.

Surjeet Singh Andotra, Secretary General, J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu, leaders of PoJK refugees and prominent personalities of Jammu attended the function and offered their tributes to the martyrs of Dhangri terror attack.

“We visited the families of martyrs in Dhangri where the people have lost their faith in political leadership. The people were in deep anguish over the role of JCCI and questioned its criminal silence over the massacre. It was a general perception among the people that the civil society of Jammu was toeing the government line,” Mr. Chuni said.

He said it came to surface that it was targeted and selective killings of poor and innocent people who made both ends meet through daily earnings only. “The heavily-armed terrorists targeted poor people under a well-planned conspiracy and they had done proper recce of the village prior to killing innocent people. There was a total failure of J&K Police, security agencies and administration that led to the massacre of innocent PoJK refugees in the village,” Mr. Chuni added.

The SOS International Chairman claimed that the terror attack could have been avoided if the Village Defence Committees (VDCs) were equipped with sophisticated weapons. “There are more than 200 ex-servicemen in the area and their weapons were taken back by the police without any reason. We demand that the Government should immediately constitute a Judicial Commission headed by a retired High Court to fix the responsibility in all security lapses,” he said.

Mr. Chuni said, “The people in Dhangri have no faith in Police investigation and they have been asking for handing over the Investigation to NIA so that official responsibility is fixed and culprits are held accountable for security lapses. The death of two minors in the IED blast was a murder as these deaths took place due to administration’s failure. Secondly, the VDCs should be strengthened and equipped with modern sophisticated weapons to avoid such attacks in future”.

He also made an appeal to the Jammu Bar Association to vociferously raise the issue and they should approach the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for the constitution of Judicial Commission to hold a detailed inquiry into Dhangri terror attacks.

In his address, Jammu Bar Association Secretary General Surjeet Singh Andotra paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Dhangri terror attacks and described the massacre as “shameful act” of terrorists. “We fully stand by the families of victims who were brutally killed by terrorists in a shameful act. Had the VDCs been equipped with sophisticated weapons, the killing of innocent people could have been avoided. We too demand that a detailed inquiry should be conducted into the mine blast that claimed the lives of two minors to fix responsibility and guilty should be punished,” Mr. Andotra said, adding “the weapons taken away from VDCs in Dhangri village should be restored without any delay”.

Earlier, Dr C L Gupta while paying tributes to martyrs expressed shock over the security lapses that led to the massacre of innocent Hindus and said it was the weakness of the government that minority community were being targeted.

“It is quite unfortunate that Jammu civil society has not reacted to the killings of people the way it should have done. The role of security agencies is also under question in this particular case,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, S K Sharma, retired IT Commissioner also demanded that accountability and responsibility should be fixed in the security lapses.

Professor N N Sharma conducted the proceedings of the programme while Professor V K Datta presented vote of thanks.