LG Sinha orders transparent probe into Billawar killings
Jammu, Mar 9: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Sunday, while expressing pain and anguish over the killing of three civilians in the Billawar area of Kathua district, ordered a thorough and transparent investigation.
Assuring all necessary support to the bereaved families, LG Sinha reaffirmed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice at the earliest and accountability would be fixed.
Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jammu-Samba-Kathua (JKS) range Shiv Kumar Sharma, joined by senior officers of Police and civil administration, met bereaved families during the day and pacified local protesters as Bani, Billawar and several other areas of Kathua observed Bandh and protests against the killing.
DIG stated that a team was constituted for proactive investigation in this case.
Before it, official sources revealed that the post-mortem of the trio was conducted and the reports did not reveal any external injuries but fall-related injury marks.
“The post-mortem reports did not reveal any bullet or sharp-edged weapon injury marks. However, the reports did show fall-related injury marks,” sources pointed out.
The bodies of the trio were recovered from Ishu nullah on Saturday in the Lohai Malhar area from where they had gone missing on Thursday evening on their way back home after attending a marriage procession. Earlier, the Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, through a tweet, while condemning the incident had stated that there seemed to be a “deep conspiracy behind the brutal killing of three youth in Bani by the terrorists” and it was a matter of great concern.
LG SINHA SHOCKED, ANGUISHED
Sharing his pain and anguish over the incident, LG Sinha offered his deepest condolences to the families, friends and ordered inquiry.
“I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the brutal killing of Varun Singh, Yogesh Singh and Darshan Singh of Kathua. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to their families and friends,” the Lieutenant Governor posted on ‘X’. “I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation and all the necessary support to the families will be provided. I assure the people that the perpetrators will be brought to book at the earliest. Justice will be ensured and accountability will be fixed,” LG Sinha posted.
WHAT UNION MINISTER SAID
Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, who also represents the area in the Parliament said that he had spoken to the concerned officials also on this aspect.
“Brutal killing of three youth by terrorists in the Bani area of Kathua district was very agonising as well as a matter of great concern. There seems to be a deep conspiracy behind the vitiating atmosphere in this peaceful area,” he wrote on ‘X.’ “In this connection, we have deliberations with the concerned officers. The Union Home Secretary is, himself, reaching Jammu so that the situation can be assessed on the spot. I believe it will be ensured that such incidents don’t occur again and people’s trust remains strong and intact,” he posted.
SECURITY BEING BOLSTERED: DIG JKS
DIG JKS Range Jammu Shiv Kumar Sharma, camping at Billawar, met the protesting locals of Malhar, Malad, Marhoon, Dehota and Billawar town and assured them that all measures would be taken to bolster security in these areas. He also spelt out steps to be taken to achieve this objective.
He also met the family members of the deceased. DIG was accompanied by SSP Kathua Shobhit Saxena; SDPO Billawar; DySP Ops Malhar; SHO Billawar, Additional DC Billawar, Vinay Khosla; Tehsildar Malhar Amit Kumar.
He told members of the bereaved families that the bodies of their relatives were recovered from very difficult terrain after massive joint search operations by Police, Army CRPF, SOG, VDGs and locals of the area.
Responding to media queries, DIG Sharma said, “We expressed our solidarity with the family of the deceased and assured them that Jammu and Kashmir Police was standing with them in this difficult time. We have constituted a team to investigate the incident proactively.”
“More VDGs would be inducted in these remote villages. They will be equipped with semi-automatic weapons and will be imparted training to further secure the area while working along with JKP, Army and CRPF. More SOG camps will be set up. Anti-terrorist operations will be intensified. The results will be visible soon. More Police-Public meetings will be organized in these villages,” he said. Police, however, did not allow Congress leader Chowdhary Lal Singh and his few party colleagues to visit the bereaved families citing security concerns. Earlier MLA Bani was also heckled by the protesters when he tried to visit the area and meet the bereaved families.
