Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Nov 25: The traders and local residents staged a protest at Shahdara Sharief this morning, expressing their anger at the lack of proper fire fighting facilities in the area.
They emphasized that timely intervention by a fully equipped fire brigade could have prevented the extensive damage.
Speaking at the protest venue, local resident Tariq Ahmed said, “This is not the first time we’ve faced such a tragedy. Shahdara Sharif and Thannamandi are significant areas due to the shrine and dense population, yet there is no permanent fire brigade facility here. This negligence has cost shopkeepers their livelihoods. We demand justice and immediate establishment of a fire station in the region.”
Another protester, Zahid Khan, called for compensation for the affected shop owners. He remarked, “The loss incurred by these shopkeepers is massive. The government must compensate them for their losses and ensure such incidents do not happen again by setting up a fully operational fire brigade unit in Thannamandi.”
The protesting locals have urged the administration to take swift action to address the absence of firefighting facilities in Thannamandi and Shahdara Sharief, emphasizing the need to safeguard lives and property in the area.
It is pertinent to mention here that a devastating fire broke out last night on Sunday in Shahdara Sharief, in Thannamandi tehsil of Rajouri district, reducing two shops to ashes. The fire, reportedly caused by a short- circuit, destroyed a readymade garments shop owned by Nazam Umar and a sweet shop belonging to Farqan.
Witnesses reported that smoke began emanating from the shops late at night, prompting locals to gather and attempt to douse the flames. Despite their best efforts and the use of a small fire brigade vehicle stationed in the area for emergencies during pilgrim visits to the shrine of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah, the fire could not be contained, and the shops were completely destroyed.
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