Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 27: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that guns have finally fallen silent on the International Border and hoped that ceasefire would hold on the borders and people live in their houses in the forward areas without any fear.
He also denounced the blasts in Patna in which five civilians were killed and scores of others were injured saying it was responsibility of every right thinking person to condemns attacks on democracy.
Though the Rangers didn’t turn up for flag meeting with the BSF today, official sources indicated that the flag meeting could take place anytime now, most likely tomorrow. For third consecutive day today, there was no ceasefire violations on the International Border in entire Jammu sector giving a ray of hope to the border villagers that everything would turn normal very soon and they would be able to cut the crops, which have grown up.
“After 12 days (of heavy shelling and firing), the border has finally fallen silent and people have been able to sleep at home without fear. Let’s hope it stays this way now,’’ Omar wrote on the micro-blogging site twitter.
Worthwhile to mention here that for past three days, the borders had become peaceful after over 12 days of heavy shelling and firing with no ceasefire violation reported from any part of Jammu sector. In view of peace on the borders, the people in some of the border areas of Arnia and other sector have started working in the fields.
Omar also referred to today’s bomb blasts in Patna in which five persons lost their lives and scores of others were injured saying: “violence like today’s has no place in democracy’’.
“While States are responsible for security and law and order, it is responsibility of every right thinking persons to condemn attacks on democracy. The forthcoming elections should be a battle of ideas and ideologies, where violence has no place,’’ Omar tweeted. The Lok Sabha elections are due in April-May next year.
Six serial bomb blasts rocked the venue of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Patna this morning killing five persons and rendering many others injured.
Sources said with peace prevailing on the borders, very few people turned up from forward areas to spend the night in safer areas, where they had taken shelter. The people from forwards areas of Nanga, Jasso Chak and SM Pur in Ramgarh sector had been shifting to Government Higher Secondary School, Ramgarh and Avtaal Community Hall during the night while villagers from forward area of Sidhar had been spending night at Government Higher Secondary School, Rajpura in Garkhal sector of Akhnoor tehsil.
The border villagers of Abdullian and Chandu Chak in RS Pura sector had been spending nights at Social Welfare Department office complex in RS Pura.
Sources said strength of the migrants was very less in the schools and other Government buildings tonight as compared to previous nights. This was due to three consecutive peaceful days on the borders after 12 days of heavy shelling and firing in which a BSF jawan was killed and 30 BSF personnel and civilians were injured in Jammu sector.
The three peaceful days have restored confidence among the people that they would be able to cut their crops well in time. A fear had been looming large on the border villagers that their crops could be damaged if they were not cut well in time. However, the things have changed now and the border people were confident of cutting the crops. People in several forward villages of R S Pura and Garkhal in Akhnoor were seen working on Zero Line.
Sources said a flag meeting between the BSF and the Rangers, which could take place in the next two days, would further help in restoration or normalcy.
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