*Victim families seek heightened security, assistance, jobs
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU/KISHTWAR, Nov 9: A wave of grief and anger swept through the Ohli-Kuntwara village as hundreds gathered to pay their last respects to two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) who were killed by terrorists in Kishtwar district.
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Nazir Ahmed, 42, and Kuldeep Kumar, 40 were found dead near a rivulet in the Kuntwara forest on Friday night after failing to return from their uphill seasonal homes (Adhwaris), where they had gone to graze cattle.
Shortly after the discovery of their bodies, the terrorist group Kashmir Tigers, an offshoot of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Images of the duo, blindfolded, were also circulated on social media by the terrorist group, which further intensified the outrage in the community.
According to police, the post-mortem examination of the bodies conducted today confirmed that both men had been shot in the head from behind with a pistol.
Their hands were tied, and they were blindfolded – a detail that has evoked comparisons to similar incidents from the peak of militancy in the 1990s.
Nazir Ahmed’s burial took place in his family’s graveyard behind their house, while Kuldeep Kumar was cremated at a distance of around 1.5 kilometres away.
Both funerals were attended by scores of mourners, highlighting the community’s sorrow and the palpable anger over the renewed threat of terrorism in the region.
Rajesh Kumar, a relative of Kuldeep Kumar, spoke of the growing fear among residents in the aftermath of the killings.
He expressed frustration over the resurgence of terrorist activity in a region that had experienced relative peace for over a decade.
“Terrorism was wiped out from our village long ago, but recent incidents in Jammu province, especially in the Doda-Kishtwar hills, are deeply concerning,” he said.
He added that the community, which had become accustomed to peace, now feels as vulnerable as they did during the height of militancy.
The recent uptick in violence has led to calls for bolstering security in the region.
Rajesh Kumar urged the Government to deploy army personnel back in the area and increase the number of VDGs equipped with modern weaponry and technology to effectively monitor and counter terrorist movements.
“With rising terror incidents in Jammu hills, we request the LG administration to restore the army’s presence here as it was during the 1990s,” he demanded, echoing the sentiments of many residents.
In addition to calling for heightened security, Kumar also sought financial compensation and a Government job for Kuldeep Kumar’s family.
Kuldeep Kumar, whose father Amar Chand also died around two weeks back, is survived by his wife Kunti Devi, daughter Radhika, and two young sons. He was a key breadwinner for his family.
Similarly, Nazir Ahmed is survived by his wife, three sons, a daughter, and a handicapped brother, all of whom now face an uncertain future.
The villagers demanded that the Government should recognize the sacrifices made by the VDGs and offer substantial support to their families.
Former Sarpanch Mohammad Farooq, reflecting on the gravity of the incident, noted that this was the second terrorist killing in their village in recent history.
“One of our residents was killed by terrorists decades ago. After that, the area was cleared of terrorism, and we had over 15 years of peace. The recent incident must serve as a wake-up call for the administration,” he said.
Farooq called for the strengthening of the VDGs with advanced equipment and weapons, suggesting that empowering local defense groups could be a viable solution to prevent such incidents in the future.
Prominent political figures from across the political spectrum also visited Kuntwara to express solidarity with the families of the deceased.
MLA Kishtwar Shagun Parihar and former BJP president Ravinder Raina, accompanied by a posse of security personnel, met with the bereaved families and extended their support.
Raina condemned the killings, calling them “cowardly” acts that demonstrate the desperation of terrorists.
“This is a heinous crime against unarmed civilians, and it shows the frustration of terrorists who are now targeting the innocent in their villages,” Raina said.
He assured the families that security forces would hunt down those responsible for the attack and deliver justice.
Meanwhile, the attack sparked widespread outrage across Kishtwar, as several organisations staged anti-Pakistan protests led by the Kishtwar Sanatan Samaj.
Community leader Deepak Sharma criticized the Government’s handling of security, pointing out the resurgence of militancy as a sign of failure to maintain law and order.
“This shameful act of terrorism reminds us of the dark days of the 1990s. The Government needs to act immediately to curb militancy in the region,” he said.
In response to the incident, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and General Officer Commanding of the White Knight Corps Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva visited Kishtwar on Friday to assess the security situation.
The high-ranking officials held a joint meeting to strategize enhanced counter-terrorism measures and ensure that such incidents do not recur.
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